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
Photo shows newborn who went missing in 2020, not recent case
USA TODAY has debunked similar claims in the past, including false assertions that serial killers were targeting women in Texas, New Jersey and Ohio.
—
Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2025
One of the company's meteorologists, Jonathan Belles, debunked some of the most common falsehoods surrounding severe storms, recommending tips on how to best prepare for them.
—Katie Wiseman, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
But a reporter at the The Telegraph in Alton debunked that theory by spilling some family lore in 2021.
—Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
His paper has since been debunked and his medical license has been revoked, but his findings sparked the anti-vaccine movement that continues today, despite evidence that vaccines have saved lives and provide more benefit than harm.
—Alice Park, Time, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for debunk
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Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2025
One of the company's meteorologists, Jonathan Belles, debunked some of the most common falsehoods surrounding severe storms, recommending tips on how to best prepare for them.
—Katie Wiseman, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
But a reporter at the The Telegraph in Alton debunked that theory by spilling some family lore in 2021.
—Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
His paper has since been debunked and his medical license has been revoked, but his findings sparked the anti-vaccine movement that continues today, despite evidence that vaccines have saved lives and provide more benefit than harm.
—Alice Park, Time, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for debunk
Cite this Entry
“Debunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debunk. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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