100 Silly & Controversial Questions Like “Is Water Wet?”

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Start an entertaining convo with these silly yet thought-provoking debate topics

Co-authored by Emyli Lovz and Annabelle Reyes

Last Updated: April 21, 2026 Fact Checked

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Deep

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Choosing a Debate Topic

There’s nothing more fun than a little friendly debate, especially over silly yet thought-provoking questions like “Is water wet?” If you’re looking for other instantly debatable topics, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled a thorough list of questions like “Is water wet,” including silly and light-hearted questions and a few deeper options to really get people thinking. Whether you’re looking for fun conversation starters for a social gathering or you just want to explore some thought-provoking questions on your own, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for here!

Top Questions Like “Is Water Wet?”

Is a hot dog a sandwich?
Does a straw have 1 hole or 2?
Is cereal a soup?
Are fish wet?
What color is a mirror?
What came first, the chicken or the egg?
Is soup technically a beverage?

Section 1 of 3:

Silly & Fun Debate Questions Like “Is Water Wet?”

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Choose one of these lighthearted questions for a friendly debate. If you’re looking for fun conversation starters to have in your back pocket, dating and relationship coach Emyli Lovz suggests questions like “Toilet paper over or under?” or “More jelly or more peanut butter?” to catch people off-guard and get them laughing.^{[1]
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Emyli Lovz
Dating and Relationship Coach

Expert Interview} Even thought these are silly and lighthearted topics, people tend to have pretty strong opinions about them, so they’re sure to inspire a lively debate!
- Is a hot dog a sandwich?
- Is cereal a soup?
- Does a straw have 1 hole or 2?
- Is fire “on fire”?
- What came first, the chicken or the egg?
- If a tomato is technically a fruit, is ketchup a smoothie?
- Is a bagel a donut?
- Are French fries vegetables?
- If you clean out a vacuum cleaner, are you a vacuum cleaner?
- What color is a mirror?
- Are fish wet?
- Is air invisible?
- Is a bucket just a really big cup?
- Is the thumb a finger?
- Is ice technically a rock?
- Is mac and cheese meant to be eaten with a spoon or a fork?
- Are boneless chicken wings just chicken nuggets?
- Is a Pop-Tart technically a ravioli?
- Is a hamburger a sandwich?
- Is soup technically a beverage?
- Should there be more peanut butter or more jelly on a PB&J?
- If chocolate is made out of a bean, is it actually a vegetable?
- Which letter is silent in the word “scent,” the S or the C?
- Are clowns scary or funny?
- Is it better to be smart or lucky?
- Should the toilet paper hang over or under the roll?^{[2]
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- Should Pluto be considered a planet?
- If Cinderella’s shoe fit perfectly, why did it fall off?
- Who would win in a fight, Superman or Captain America?
- Does pineapple belong on pizza?
- Is it acceptable to eat pizza with a fork and knife?
- Are dishes supposed to be washed before going into the dishwasher?
- What goes in the bowl first, the cereal or the milk?
- Should sandwiches be cut into triangles or rectangles?
- Which is the superior flavor, cookies and cream or cookie dough?
- Is a burrito a sandwich?
- Does ketchup belong on a hot dog?
- Is leftover pizza better cold or hot?
- Does bottled water taste better than tap water?
- Are cats or dogs the better pet?
- If animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?
- Who would win in a fight, a duck-sized horse, or a horse-sized duck?
- Does the person sitting in the middle seat on a plane get both armrests?
- What’s better, summer or winter?
- Should emojis be considered a universal language?
- Is it ever acceptable to wear pajamas in public?
- Is it better to be a morning bird or a night owl?
- Should socks have labels for the left and right foot?
- Is it ever okay to wear white to a wedding?
- Are emojis acceptable in work emails?
- Is chess a sport?
- Is GIF pronounced giff or jiff?
- Is Darth Vader a villain or hero?
- Looking for more silly questions & conversation starters? Check out this fun list!

Section 2 of 3:

Deep & Thought-Provoking Debate Questions

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Ask these deeper questions for a more philosophical debate. If you’re friends with a lot of deep thinkers, consider asking one of these more intense and thought-provoking questions at a hangout. Like “Is water wet,” these questions have compelling arguments on both sides, leading to very interesting convos! They’re also great topics to think about on your own if you’re looking to explore your philosophical side.
- If two mind readers read each other’s minds, what would they see?
- If everyone’s unique, does that mean that no one is?
- If you replace every single part of a machine, is it still the same machine?
- If a tree falls in the forest and no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound?
- Is the movie ever better than the book?
- Is it better to be rich or famous?
- Should homework be abolished?
- If we were living in a simulation, how would we know?
- Does a tolerant society need to tolerate intolerance?
- If you didn’t know any language, what would your thoughts sound like?
- If you try to fail but end up succeeding, which one did you actually do?
- Should politics be a banned topic at family holiday gatherings?
- If time travel were made possible, which historical event should we go back in time to change?
- Should time travel be made possible, or should we avoid it altogether?
- Would you rather be rich with 1 friend or poor with many friends?
- Is it okay to lie to protect someone’s feelings?
- Has social media been more good or bad for society?
- Should all social media platforms have a minimum age of 16?
- Do smartphones actually make us dumber?
- Should students be required to surrender their smartphones during the school day?
- Should all schools have uniforms?
- Would it be better to have a superpower or endless funds?
- Should the whole world implement a 4-day work week?
- Are aliens real?
- If aliens are real, should they be allowed to visit Earth?
- Is there such a thing as an undebatable topic?
- Should someone’s birthday be a paid day off at work?
- What’s scarier, space or the ocean?
- What’s more fun, going out or staying in?
- Should all zoos be closed down?
- Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
- Should the driving age be raised to 18?
- Should we set up colonies in space?
- Should tablets replace textbooks in school?
- What matters more, nature or nurture?
- Should AI tools be allowed for any part of academic work?
- If AI became self-aware, should it get human rights?
- Is a plant-based diet the most ethical type of diet?
- Should college athletes be paid?
- Should tipping culture be abolished?
- Is gambling harmful to society?
- Should a college education be free?
- Are standardized tests an accurate measure of intelligence?
- Can computers be creative?
- Is the mind the same thing as the brain?
- Does suffering need to exist for joy to exist?
- What’s more valuable, intelligence or creativity?
- Is ignorance actually bliss?
- Looking for even more deep & controversial questions to debate? Check out this list!

Section 3 of 3:

Tips for Picking a Debate Topic

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Take your audience into account. When picking a debate question for a social situation, take a look at the other people who are present, and try to think of a topic that would be genuinely interesting and enjoyable for them to talk about.^{[3]
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Research source} Make sure your question is age-appropriate, too!
- For example, if you’re at a family gathering, it’s probably best to stick to questions that are lighthearted and easy to understand.
- On the flip side, if you’re at a hangout with your close friends, you can probably opt for something a little bit deeper or more niche.
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Consider how controversial you want to be. Debate topics are inherently controversial—there needs to be a compelling argument on both sides to make them interesting, after all! However, a question like “Is a hot dog a sandwich?” is controversial in a fun and silly way—not in a way that can actually offend people. When picking a question to debate in a social setting, it’s usually best to stick to lighthearted topics like these, especially if you don’t know everyone present super well.
- For instance, if you’re at a networking event for work or a large party with a lot of strangers, you’ll probably want to steer clear of any sensitive topics that might ruffle people’s feathers.
- However, if you’re hanging out with your best friends, you may be able to explore more controversial topics, since they already know you well and know what you stand for.
- If you do debate a controversial topic with someone, relationship coach Nicole Moore recommends sharing your point of view and explaining why you see things this way, but avoiding making the other person feel like they’re “bad” or “wrong” for their opinion.^{[4]
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- “Instead of saying things like ‘How could you think that,’ you can ask more curious, non-judgmental questions, like, ‘I’m curious to understand your perspective on the issue and learn how you see things. Could you share your thought process around it, so I can understand better?’” suggests Moore.^{[5]
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Choose topics you're genuinely interested in. Even when picking a silly or wacky debate question, it’s important to go for something that actually fascinates you. If you have a strong opinion on the topic, you’re much more likely to spark a lively debate with whoever else is present. Plus, if something is interesting to you, this is usually a good indicator that it will be interesting to others, too!^{[6]
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1. And if the steps above have been helpful, be sure to download this article as a PDF so you can print, read, or reference it any time.