rebut

verb

re·​but ri-ˈbət 

rebutted; rebutting

transitive verb

1

: to drive or beat back : repel

2

a

: to contradict or oppose by formal legal argument, plea, or countervailing proof

b

: to expose the falsity of : refute

intransitive verb

: to make or furnish an answer or counter proof

rebuttable

ri-ˈbə-tə-bəl 

adjective

Did you know?

The -but in rebut once meant basically "butt", so rebut's original meanings were "to drive or beat back" and "to attack with violent language". Rebuttals can still be rather violent, as anyone who has watched some heated moments in a presidential debate can testify. The word is often used by lawyers, since the lawyer for the accused or for the party being sued almost always tries to rebut the charges against his or her client; but it's also used in plenty of contexts outside the courtroom.

Synonyms

• repel
• resist
• repulse

Examples of rebut in a Sentence

Her lawyer attempted to rebut the witness's testimony.

Stalingrad's defenders were finally able to rebut the besiegers, but only after a horrendous loss of life.

Recent Examples on the Web

Every later sleuth, including Kuriyama and Honan, needs to grapple with Nicholl, if only to rebut him. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

Starmer could have rebutted this, pointing to the Conservatives’ vastly more numerous 121 seats. —Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025

The Biden White House at the time rebutted all concerns, yet the former president’s health while in office remains the object of congressional scrutiny, particularly after he was diagnosed with aggressive cancer shortly after ceding the presidency to Trump in January. —Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Aug. 2025

The latest filing by federal prosecutors seeks to rebut a defense request for additional details about the evidence the government plans to present to justify seeking the death penalty for Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year in Manhattan. —Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French reboter, from re- + boter to butt — more at butt entry 3

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for rebut

• abut
• catgut
• chesnut
• chestnut
• donut
• doughnut
• groundnut
• haircut
• hindgut
• midgut
• precut
• recut

Kids Definition

rebut

verb

re·​but ri-ˈbət 

rebutted; rebutting

1

: to oppose by argument

2

: to prove to be wrong especially by argument or by proof that the opposite is true

Legal Definition

rebut

transitive verb

re·​but ri-ˈbət 

rebutted; rebutting

: to refute, counteract, or disprove (as opposing evidence) by evidence or argument

rebut damaging testimony

rebut a presumption

rebuttable adjective

rebuttably adverb

Etymology

Anglo-French reboter, rebuter to answer a charge, bar from an action, literally, to repulse, rebuff, from Old French reboter, from re- back + boter to push, butt