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refute

verb

ri-ˈfyüt How to pronounce refute (audio)
Definition of refutenext
1
as in to deny
to declare not to be true while he was publicly refuting rumors of a merger, behind the scenes the CEO was working to effect that very outcome

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to discredit
to prove to be false the victories of African-American athlete Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics effectively refuted the racial views of the Nazis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of refute Another group of scholars eventually refuted the claims in 2023, contending the ring had no connection to anyone named Pilate. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026 Brittany Howard, the band’s lead singer and charismatic frontwoman, has spent much of the past decade refuting that notion. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026 New documents obtained by The Associated Press and The Guardian refute that testimony. — Ali Swenson, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026 So thankful to Alabama Athletics for refuting it on my behalf. — CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refute
  1. deny
  2. discredit
  3. reject
  4. disprove
  5. contradict
  6. overturn
  7. rebut
  8. discuss
Verb
  • Just showing it Investigators say Gonzalez Reyes initially denied the allegations after his arrest.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Separately, Boulos declined to confirm or deny that Washington withheld a UN General Assembly visa for Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of deny
Verb
  • His appellate legal team has been aggressively searching for any and every legal avenue that would overturn the judge’s sentence, nullify the jury’s guilty verdict, or even discredit the very criminal law that Combs was prosecuted under.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
  • As this is not always possible, there can be competition among rainmakers trying to discredit each other, said 30-year-old Kilindon Simiyu, another of the village's rainmakers.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of discredit
Verb
  • Requests for heavy construction equipment, in particular, are often rejected; Israeli officials say Hamas fighters could use it to dig tunnels.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The court rejected Kalshi’s broad interpretation of the Commodity Exchange Act and upheld an order allowing Nevada to enforce its gambling regulations against Kalshi’s sports event contracts.
    — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of reject
Verb
  • During cross-examination on Tuesday, Kosowski asked a detective to lift a cart with a person onto a desk in an attempt to disprove the state's theory, which the judge did not allow.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Federal and state prosecutors now allege video evidence disproved Castro’s version.
    — María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of disprove
Verb
  • This approach contradicts all the principles of the scientific community.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, OutKick documented several examples contradicting Le Batard’s accusation.
    — Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of contradict
Verb
  • His appellate legal team has been aggressively searching for any and every legal avenue that would overturn the judge’s sentence, nullify the jury’s guilty verdict, or even discredit the very criminal law that Combs was prosecuted under.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Knauss also shared photos of the devastation from the hurricane, which showed chairs overturned in the sanctuary and pools of water that damaged every corner of the facility.
    — Raymond Strickland, CBS News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • The company does, though, sell a scarf called Tulipomanie, covered in frilly blooms of an exquisiteness that seems to rebut the charge of excess hype with a wink.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
  • In a motion filed last week, Deputy Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Keith Scholl asked for a transcript of Kohberger's July 2, 2025, change of plea hearing, in which Kohberger's own words could be used to rebut the new claims in his petition.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of rebut
Verb
  • Those efforts have included dispatching a senior envoy to discuss ending Iranian airline Mahan Air’s flights to Oman, according to a Treasury Department spokesperson.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Easier discussions will be held around tariffs and agricultural products like soybeans, while AI, autos, technology and e-commerce will feature on the agenda, said the official, who asked for anonymity to discuss private conversations.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of discuss

Browse Nearby Words

refutations
refute
refuted
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Cite this Entry

“Refute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refute. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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