debunk
verb
de·bunk
(ˌ)dē-ˈbəŋk 
debunked; debunking; debunks
: to expose the sham (see sham entry 1 sense 2) or falseness of
debunk a legend
debunker
noun
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To debunk something is to take the bunk out of it—that bunk being nonsense. (Bunk is short for the synonymous bunkum, which has political origins.) Debunk has been in use since at least the 1920s, and it contrasts with synonyms like disprove and rebut by suggesting that something is not merely untrue but is also a sham—a trick meant to deceive. One can simply disprove a myth, but if it is debunked, the implication is that the myth was a grossly exaggerated or foolish claim.
Examples of debunk in a Sentence
The article debunks the notion that life exists on Mars.
The results of the study debunk his theory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Since the ballot seizure, local election officials in Riverside County have debunked the allegations of irregularities by saying that the citizens' group's numbers were based on raw data that could have included unsigned ballots.
—
Laurie Perez, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Similar accusations popped up across the country, leaving school superintendents, including the one in Michigan, to debunk them.
—Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
When Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu posted videos to rebut viral claims of his death, Grok declared the footage fake — swiftly debunked, yet already spread.
—Hollie McKay, Deadline, 29 Mar. 2026
Though the original clip is authentic, showing seven dogs wandering down the side of a highway in northeastern Jilin province, Chinese state media has since debunked the narrative of their escape and journey home.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debunk
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Laurie Perez, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Similar accusations popped up across the country, leaving school superintendents, including the one in Michigan, to debunk them.
—Jessica Ma, Dallas Morning News, 29 Mar. 2026
When Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu posted videos to rebut viral claims of his death, Grok declared the footage fake — swiftly debunked, yet already spread.
—Hollie McKay, Deadline, 29 Mar. 2026
Though the original clip is authentic, showing seven dogs wandering down the side of a highway in northeastern Jilin province, Chinese state media has since debunked the narrative of their escape and journey home.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debunk
Cite this Entry
“Debunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debunk. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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