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
Each day has a different theme, from nourishing the microbiome and naturally reducing bloat to regulating the nervous system through morning and evening rituals and debunking common gut health myths.
—
Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 May 2025
Importantly, each day of 7 Days to Gut Health focuses on a specific theme including nourishing the microbiome, reducing bloat naturally, regulating the nervous system through morning and evening rituals and debunking common gut health myths.
—Alexandra Pastore, Footwear News, 5 May 2025
Kennedy himself has a history of promoting vaccine misinformation, having repeatedly claimed vaccines cause autism, an assertion that has been widely debunked by science and data.
—Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Public health authorities have debunked these claims while highlighting thousands of illnesses linked to raw milk.
— Made By History, Time, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debunk
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Dominique Fluker, Essence, 8 May 2025
Importantly, each day of 7 Days to Gut Health focuses on a specific theme including nourishing the microbiome, reducing bloat naturally, regulating the nervous system through morning and evening rituals and debunking common gut health myths.
—Alexandra Pastore, Footwear News, 5 May 2025
Kennedy himself has a history of promoting vaccine misinformation, having repeatedly claimed vaccines cause autism, an assertion that has been widely debunked by science and data.
—Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 3 May 2025
Public health authorities have debunked these claims while highlighting thousands of illnesses linked to raw milk.
— Made By History, Time, 29 Apr. 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 21 May. 2025.
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