Issue vs. Incident: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
An issue is a topic of debate, concern, or problem, while an incident is a specific event, often unplanned and disruptive.
Key Differences
An issue generally refers to a problem, topic, or matter that requires consideration, often implying ongoing debate or concern. An incident, on the other hand, is a distinct event or occurrence, usually with a clear, defined moment in time.
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Dec 07, 2023
Issues can be broad, encompassing various topics from social issues to technical problems, often requiring resolution or management. Incidents are typically specific events, often unexpected, like accidents or emergencies, that disrupt normal proceedings.
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The term issue encompasses a range of concerns, from minor inconveniences to major problems, potentially affecting many people. Incidents are characteristically singular events, which may be minor or significant, but are notable for their distinct occurrence.
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In the context of business or IT, an issue might refer to a systemic problem or challenge needing a strategic approach, while an incident is a specific event that disrupts normal operations or services.
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Dec 07, 2023
Issues often require a comprehensive approach to understand and address underlying causes, whereas incidents may need immediate, focused responses to manage their immediate impact.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A problem, debate, or topic requiring consideration.
A specific event, often unplanned and disruptive.
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Nature
Broad, can be ongoing or recurring.
Specific and distinct, usually isolated in time.
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Scope
Can be general or specific, affecting various areas.
Typically a single event with a clear occurrence.
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Context
Often requires a strategic or comprehensive approach.
Requires immediate and focused response.
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Examples
Organizational challenges, societal problems.
Accidents, emergencies, unplanned disruptions.
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Issue and Incident Definitions
Issue
A point in question or a matter that is in dispute.
The main issue in the debate was climate change.
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Incident
A minor conflict or dispute.
There was an incident between the two players during the game.
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Issue
The act of distributing something.
The new policy was issued last week.
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Incident
An event that has potential legal implications.
The police are investigating the traffic incident.
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Issue
The outcome or result of something.
The project had several positive issues.
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Incident
In IT, a disruption in service or operation.
The IT team quickly resolved the network incident.
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Issue
A point or matter of discussion, debate, or dispute
What legal and moral issues should we consider?.
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Issue
A misgiving, objection, or complaint
Had issues with the plan to change the curriculum.
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Incident
A usually violent or disruptive occurrence, especially one that precipitates a larger crisis
An international incident that provoked war.
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Incident
An occurrence that interrupts normal procedure or functioning; a mishap
The plane landed without incident.
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Issue
The act of circulating, distributing, or publishing by a business, government, or organization
Government issue of new bonds.
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Incident
Tending to arise or occur as a result or accompaniment
"There is a professional melancholy ... incident to the occupation of a tailor" (Charles Lamb).
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Issue
An item or set of items, as stamps or coins, made available at one time by a business, government, or organization.
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Issue
A distinct set of copies of an edition of a book distinguished from others of that edition by variations in the printed matter.
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Incident
An event or occurrence.
She could not recall the time of the incident.
It was an incident that he hoped to forget.
The suspect was released without further incident.
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Incident
A (relatively minor) event that is incidental to, or related to others.
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Issue
Something proceeding from a specified source
Suspicions that were the issue of a deranged mind.
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Incident
An event that causes or may cause an interruption or a crisis, such as a workplace illness or a software error.
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Incident
Falling on or striking a surface.
The incident light illuminated the surface.
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Issue
The act or an instance of flowing, passing, or giving out
Where the lake gives issue to its waters.
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Incident
Coming or happening accidentally; not in the usual course of things; not in connection with the main design; not according to expectation; casual; fortuitous.
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Incident
Liable to happen; apt to occur; befalling; hence, naturally happening or appertaining.
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Incident
(legal) Dependent upon, or appertaining to, another thing, called the principal.
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Incident
Falling or striking upon, as a ray of light upon a reflecting surface.
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Incident
Coming or happening accidentally; not in the usual course of things; not in connection with the main design; not according to expectation; casual; fortuitous.
As the ordinary course of common affairs is disposed of by general laws, so likewise men's rarer incident necessities and utilities should be with special equity considered.
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Issue
To flow, go, or come out
Water issuing from a spring.
Voices issuing from a room.
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Incident
Liable to happen; apt to occur; befalling; hence, naturally happening or appertaining.
All chances incident to man's frail life.
The studies incident to his profession.
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Issue
To proceed from a source; emerge or come forth
Ideas issuing from a discussion. ].
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Incident
Dependent upon, or appertaining to, another thing, called the principal.
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Issue
The action or an instance of flowing or coming out, an outflow, particularly:
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Incident
That which falls out or takes place; an event; casualty; occurrence.
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Incident
That which happens aside from the main design; an accidental or subordinate action or event.
No person, no incident, in a play but must be of use to carry on the main design.
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Issue
The outflow of a bodily fluid, particularly in abnormal amounts.
The technique minimizes the issue of blood from the incision.
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Incident
Something appertaining to, passing with, or depending on, another, called the principal.
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Incident
A public disturbance;
The police investigated an incident at the bus station
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Issue
Progeny: all one's lineal descendants.
Although his own kingdom disappeared, his issue went on to rule a quarter of Europe.
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Incident
(sometimes followed by `to') minor or casual or subordinate in significance or nature or occurring as a chance concomitant or consequence;
Incidental expenses
The road will bring other incidental advantages
Extra duties incidental to the job
Labor problems incidental to a rapid expansion
Confusion incidental to a quick change
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Issue
A race of people considered as the descendants of some common ancestor.
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Incident
An individual occurrence or event, especially an unplanned or disruptive one.
The incident at the factory halted production.
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Issue
The produce or income derived from farmland or rental properties.
3. A conveys to B all right to the real property aforementioned for a term of _____ years, with all said real property's attendant issues, rents, and profits.
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Incident
An event that interrupts normal procedures.
The power outage was an unexpected incident.
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Issue
Income derived from fines levied by a court or law-enforcement officer; the fines themselves.
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Issue
Luck considered as the favor or disfavor of nature, the gods, or God.
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Issue
A single edition of a newspaper or other periodical publication.
Yeah, I just got the June issue of Wombatboy.
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Issue
The entire set of some item printed and disseminated during a certain period, particularly a single printing of a particular edition of a work when contrasted with other print runs.
The May 1918 issue of US 24-cent stamps became famous when a printer's error inverted its depiction of an airmail plane.
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Issue
The entire set of something; all of something.
The bloody sergeant snaffled our whole issue of booze, dammit.
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Issue
(finance) Any financial instrument issued by a company.
The company's issues have included securities.
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Issue
The loan of a book etc. from a library to a patron; all such loans by a given library during a given period.
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Issue
The means or opportunity by which something flows or comes out, particularly:
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Issue
The place where something flows or comes out, an outlet, particularly:
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Issue
A confluence: the mouth of a river; the outlet of a lake or other body of water.
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Issue
The action or an instance of sending something out, particularly:
The issue of the directive from the treasury prompted the central bank's most recent issue of currency.
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Issue
A small incision, tear, or artificial ulcer, used to drain fluid and usually held open with a pea or other small object.
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Issue
The production or distribution of something for general use.
Congress delegated the issue of US currency to the Federal Reserve in 1913.
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Issue
The distribution of something (particularly rations or standardized provisions) to someone or some group.
The uniform was standard prison issue.
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Issue
(finance) The action or an instance of a company selling bonds, stock, or other securities.
The company's stock issue diluted his ownership.
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Issue
Any question or situation to be resolved, particularly:
Please stand by. We are having technical issues.
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Issue
A point of law or fact in dispute or question in a legal action presented for resolution by the court.
The issue before the court is whether participation in a group blog makes the plaintiff a public figure under the relevant statute.
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Issue
Anything in dispute, an area of disagreement whose resolution is being debated or decided.
For chrissakes, John, don't make an issue out of it. Just sleep on the floor if you want.
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Issue
A psychological or emotional difficulty, any problem or concern considered as a vague and intractable difficulty.
She has daddy issues, mommy issues, drug issues, money issues, trust issues, printer issues... I'm just sayin', girl's got issues.
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Issue
The end result of an event or events, any result or outcome, particularly:
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Issue
To flow out, to proceed from, to come out or from.
The water issued forth from the spring.
The rents issuing from the land permitted him to live as a man of independent means.
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Issue
To rush out, to sally forth.
The men issued from the town and attacked the besiegers.
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Issue
(legal) To come to a point in fact or law on which the parties join issue.
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Issue
To send out; to put into circulation.
The Federal Reserve issues US dollars.
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Issue
The act of passing or flowing out; a moving out from any inclosed place; egress; as, the issue of water from a pipe, of blood from a wound, of air from a bellows, of people from a house.
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Oct 19, 2023
Issue
The act of sending out, or causing to go forth; delivery; issuance; as, the issue of an order from a commanding officer; the issue of money from a treasury.
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Issue
That which passes, flows, or is sent out; the whole quantity sent forth or emitted at one time; as, an issue of bank notes; the daily issue of a newspaper.
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Issue
Progeny; a child or children; offspring. In law, sometimes, in a general sense, all persons descended from a common ancestor; all lineal descendants.
If the kingShould without issue die.
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Oct 19, 2023
Issue
Produce of the earth, or profits of land, tenements, or other property; as, A conveyed to B all his right for a term of years, with all the issues, rents, and profits.
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Issue
An artificial ulcer, usually made in the fleshy part of the arm or leg, to produce the secretion and discharge of pus for the relief of some affected part.
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Issue
The final outcome or result; upshot; conclusion; event; hence, contest; test; trial.
Come forth to viewThe issue of the exploit.
While it is hot, I 'll put it to the issue.
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Issue
A point in debate or controversy on which the parties take affirmative and negative positions; a presentation of alternatives between which to choose or decide; a point of contention; a matter in controversy.
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Issue
In pleading, a single material point of law or fact depending in the suit, which, being affirmed on the one side and denied on the other, is presented for determination. See General issue, under General, and Feigned issue, under Feigned.
As much at issue with the summer dayAs if you brought a candle out of doors.
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Issue
To pass or flow out; to run out, as from any inclosed place.
From it issued forced drops of blood.
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Issue
To go out; to rush out; to sally forth; as, troops issued from the town, and attacked the besiegers.
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Issue
To proceed, as from a source; as, water issues from springs; light issues from the sun.
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Issue
To proceed, as progeny; to be derived; to be descended; to spring.
Of thy sons that shall issue from thee.
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Issue
To be produced as an effect or result; to grow or accrue; to arise; to proceed; as, rents and profits issuing from land, tenements, or a capital stock.
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Issue
To close; to end; to terminate; to turn out; as, we know not how the cause will issue.
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Issue
In pleading, to come to a point in fact or law, on which the parties join issue.
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Issue
To send out; to put into circulation; as, to issue notes from a bank.
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Issue
To send out officially; to deliver by authority; as, to issue an order; to issue a writ.
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Issue
An important question that is in dispute and must be settled;
The issue could be settled by requiring public education for everyone
Politicians never discuss the real issues
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Issue
One of a series published periodically;
She found an old issue of the magazine in her dentist's waitingroom
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Issue
The provision of something by issuing it (usually in quantity);
A new issue of stamps
The last issue of penicillin was over a month ago
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Issue
Some situation or event that is thought about;
He kept drifting off the topic
He had been thinking about the subject for several years
It is a matter for the police
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Issue
Supplies (as food or clothing or ammunition) issued by the government
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Issue
The immediate descendants of a person;
She was the mother of many offspring
He died without issue
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Issue
A phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon;
The magnetic effect was greater when the rod was lengthwise
His decision had depressing consequences for business
He acted very wise after the event
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Issue
The income arising from land or other property;
The average return was about 5%
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Issue
The becoming visible;
Not a day's difference between the emergence of the andrenas and the opening of the willow catkins
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Issue
An opening that permits escape or release;
He blocked the way out
The canyon had only one issue
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Issue
Prepare and issue for public distribution or sale;
Publish a magazine or newspaper
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Issue
Circulate or distribute or equip with;
Issue a new uniform to the children
Supply blankets for the beds
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Issue
Come out of;
Water issued from the hole in the wall
The words seemed to come out by themselves
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Issue
Make out and issue;
Write out a check
Cut a ticket
Please make the check out to me
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Issue
A problem or concern that needs to be addressed.
The company is facing issues with its supply chain.
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Issue
An edition of a periodical or publication.
She was featured on the latest issue of the magazine.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
What is an incident in the workplace?
It's a specific event in the workplace that disrupts normal operations.
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How do businesses handle incidents?
Through immediate, focused response plans and protocols.
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What constitutes an issue?
An issue is a topic or problem requiring consideration or resolution.
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Can an issue lead to an incident?
Yes, unresolved issues can sometimes culminate in incidents.
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Are all issues negative?
Not necessarily, some issues may simply be topics for discussion or improvement.
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Is an issue always a problem?
While often problematic, an issue can also be a matter of debate or consideration.
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Can "incident" be pluralized?
Yes, "incident" can be pluralized as "incidents" when referring to multiple events or occurrences.
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What is the difference between an issue and a problem?
An issue is a broader term that encompasses various concerns, while a problem usually indicates a specific difficulty or obstacle.
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What's an example of a positive incident?
A surprise celebration or unplanned but positive news event.
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Can an incident be planned?
Incidents are typically unplanned, but some may result from planned actions.
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Are there positive issues?
Yes, issues can be positive or negative. Positive issues might include achievements, opportunities, or positive developments.
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Are there synonyms for "incident"?
Synonyms for "incident" include event, occurrence, happening, and episode.
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Is there a synonym for "issue"?
Synonyms for "issue" include concern, topic, subject, and matter.
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Dec 07, 2023
What does "take issue with" mean?
"Taking issue with" means to disagree with or have a problem with something.
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Dec 07, 2023
Can "incident" be used in a military context?
Yes, "incident" is used in military terminology to describe specific events or situations.
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Dec 07, 2023
Can "issue" be pluralized?
Yes, "issue" can be pluralized as "issues" when referring to multiple topics or problems.
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Dec 07, 2023
Can you use "issue" in a legal context?
Yes, "issue" is often used in legal contexts to refer to points or disputes in a case.
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Dec 07, 2023
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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