diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c141d4ab30..47b8bebf5c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 * `jj git fetch` now automatically prints new remote branches and tags by default.
 
+* `--verbose/-v` is now `--debug` (no short option since it's not intended to be used often)
+
 ### Fixed bugs
 
 * On Windows, symlinks in the repo are now materialized as regular files in the
diff --git a/cli/src/cli_util.rs b/cli/src/cli_util.rs
index 82fa387531..3348f8ce61 100644
--- a/cli/src/cli_util.rs
+++ b/cli/src/cli_util.rs
@@ -555,15 +555,15 @@ impl TracingSubscription {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn enable_verbose_logging(&self) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
+    pub fn enable_debug_logging(&self) -> Result<(), CommandError> {
         self.reload_log_filter
             .modify(|filter| {
                 *filter = tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter::builder()
                     .with_default_directive(tracing::metadata::LevelFilter::DEBUG.into())
                     .from_env_lossy()
             })
-            .map_err(|err| internal_error_with_message("failed to enable verbose logging", err))?;
-        tracing::info!("verbose logging enabled");
+            .map_err(|err| internal_error_with_message("failed to enable debug logging", err))?;
+        tracing::info!("debug logging enabled");
         Ok(())
     }
 }
@@ -2497,9 +2497,9 @@ pub struct GlobalArgs {
     /// do that, but it is possible.
     #[arg(long, visible_alias = "at-op", global = true, default_value = "@")]
     pub at_operation: String,
-    /// Enable verbose logging
-    #[arg(long, short = 'v', global = true)]
-    pub verbose: bool,
+    /// Enable debug logging
+    #[arg(long, global = true)]
+    pub debug: bool,
 
     #[command(flatten)]
     pub early_args: EarlyArgs,
@@ -2743,9 +2743,9 @@ pub fn parse_args(
         .try_get_matches_from(string_args)?;
 
     let args: Args = Args::from_arg_matches(&matches).unwrap();
-    if args.global_args.verbose {
-        // TODO: set up verbose logging as early as possible
-        tracing_subscription.enable_verbose_logging()?;
+    if args.global_args.debug {
+        // TODO: set up debug logging as early as possible
+        tracing_subscription.enable_debug_logging()?;
     }
 
     Ok((matches, args))
diff --git a/cli/src/merge_tools/external.rs b/cli/src/merge_tools/external.rs
index 31f71c8335..af588a1da6 100644
--- a/cli/src/merge_tools/external.rs
+++ b/cli/src/merge_tools/external.rs
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ pub enum ExternalToolError {
     MergeArgsNotConfigured { tool_name: String },
     #[error("Error setting up temporary directory")]
     SetUpDir(#[source] std::io::Error),
-    // TODO: Remove the "(run with --verbose to see the exact invocation)"
-    // from this and other errors. Print it as a hint but only if --verbose is *not* set.
-    #[error("Error executing '{tool_binary}' (run with --verbose to see the exact invocation)")]
+    // TODO: Remove the "(run with --debug to see the exact invocation)"
+    // from this and other errors. Print it as a hint but only if --debug is *not* set.
+    #[error("Error executing '{tool_binary}' (run with --debug to see the exact invocation)")]
     FailedToExecute {
         tool_binary: String,
         #[source]
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ fn format_tool_aborted(exit_status: &ExitStatus) -> String {
         .map(|c| c.to_string())
         .unwrap_or_else(|| "<unknown>".to_string());
     format!(
-        "Tool exited with a non-zero code (run with --verbose to see the exact invocation). Exit \
+        "Tool exited with a non-zero code (run with --debug to see the exact invocation). Exit \
          code: {code}."
     )
 }
diff --git a/cli/src/merge_tools/mod.rs b/cli/src/merge_tools/mod.rs
index 4f4ae0eaf4..a7681c9477 100644
--- a/cli/src/merge_tools/mod.rs
+++ b/cli/src/merge_tools/mod.rs
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ pub enum ConflictResolveError {
     #[error("The conflict at {path:?} has {sides} sides. At most 2 sides are supported.")]
     ConflictTooComplicated { path: RepoPathBuf, sides: usize },
     #[error(
-        "The output file is either unchanged or empty after the editor quit (run with --verbose \
-         to see the exact invocation)."
+        "The output file is either unchanged or empty after the editor quit (run with --debug to \
+         see the exact invocation)."
     )]
     EmptyOrUnchanged,
     #[error("Backend error")]
diff --git a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
index 8e11a0256f..5a4274d170 100644
--- a/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
+++ b/cli/tests/cli-reference@.md.snap
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ repository.
 * `--at-operation <AT_OPERATION>` — Operation to load the repo at
 
   Default value: `@`
-* `-v`, `--verbose` — Enable verbose logging
+* `--debug` — Enable debug logging
 
   Possible values: `true`, `false`
 
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_diff_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_diff_command.rs
index 93063b0b06..e73ceccf4a 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_diff_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_diff_command.rs
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ fn test_diff_external_tool() {
     diff
     "###);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stderr, @r###"
-    Tool exited with a non-zero code (run with --verbose to see the exact invocation). Exit code: 1.
+    Tool exited with a non-zero code (run with --debug to see the exact invocation). Exit code: 1.
     "###);
 }
 
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_diffedit_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_diffedit_command.rs
index 3c7b93790a..383f7a82f9 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_diffedit_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_diffedit_command.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ fn test_diffedit() {
     std::fs::write(&edit_script, "rm file2\0fail").unwrap();
     insta::assert_snapshot!(&test_env.jj_cmd_failure(&repo_path, &["diffedit"]), @r###"
     Error: Failed to edit diff
-    Caused by: Tool exited with a non-zero code (run with --verbose to see the exact invocation). Exit code: 1.
+    Caused by: Tool exited with a non-zero code (run with --debug to see the exact invocation). Exit code: 1.
     "###);
     let stdout = test_env.jj_cmd_success(&repo_path, &["diff", "-s"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ fn test_diffedit_old_restore_interactive_tests() {
     std::fs::write(&edit_script, "rm file2\0fail").unwrap();
     insta::assert_snapshot!(&test_env.jj_cmd_failure(&repo_path, &["diffedit", "--from", "@-"]), @r###"
     Error: Failed to edit diff
-    Caused by: Tool exited with a non-zero code (run with --verbose to see the exact invocation). Exit code: 1.
+    Caused by: Tool exited with a non-zero code (run with --debug to see the exact invocation). Exit code: 1.
     "###);
     let stdout = test_env.jj_cmd_success(&repo_path, &["diff", "-s"]);
     insta::assert_snapshot!(stdout, @r###"
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs b/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
index 4d7e10fac8..f6bafbc4df 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_global_opts.rs
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ fn test_help() {
       -R, --repository <REPOSITORY>      Path to repository to operate on
           --ignore-working-copy          Don't snapshot the working copy, and don't update it
           --at-operation <AT_OPERATION>  Operation to load the repo at [default: @] [aliases: at-op]
-      -v, --verbose                      Enable verbose logging
+          --debug                        Enable debug logging
           --color <WHEN>                 When to colorize output (always, never, auto)
           --no-pager                     Disable the pager
           --config-toml <TOML>           Additional configuration options (can be repeated)
@@ -454,22 +454,22 @@ fn test_help() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn test_verbose_logging_enabled() {
-    // Test that the verbose flag enabled verbose logging
+fn test_debug_logging_enabled() {
+    // Test that the debug flag enabled debug logging
     let test_env = TestEnvironment::default();
 
-    let (_stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(test_env.env_root(), &["version", "-v"]);
+    let (_stdout, stderr) = test_env.jj_cmd_ok(test_env.env_root(), &["version", "--debug"]);
     // Split the first log line into a timestamp and the rest.
     // The timestamp is constant sized so this is a robust operation.
     // Example timestamp: 2022-11-20T06:24:05.477703Z
     let (_timestamp, log_line) = stderr
         .lines()
         .next()
-        .expect("verbose logging on first line")
+        .expect("debug logging on first line")
         .split_at(36);
     // The log format is currently Pretty so we include the terminal markup.
     // Luckily, insta will print this in colour when reviewing.
-    insta::assert_snapshot!(log_line, @" INFO jj_cli::cli_util: verbose logging enabled");
+    insta::assert_snapshot!(log_line, @" INFO jj_cli::cli_util: debug logging enabled");
 }
 
 fn strip_last_line(s: &str) -> &str {
diff --git a/cli/tests/test_resolve_command.rs b/cli/tests/test_resolve_command.rs
index a95656cd7f..e90613c8e2 100644
--- a/cli/tests/test_resolve_command.rs
+++ b/cli/tests/test_resolve_command.rs
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ fn check_resolve_produces_input_file(
     assert_eq!(
         &test_env.jj_cmd_failure(repo_path, &["resolve", "--config-toml", &merge_arg_config]),
         "Resolving conflicts in: file\nError: Failed to resolve conflicts\nCaused by: The output \
-         file is either unchanged or empty after the editor quit (run with --verbose to see the \
+         file is either unchanged or empty after the editor quit (run with --debug to see the \
          exact invocation).\n"
     );
 }