rebuttal

noun

re·​but·​tal ri-ˈbə-tᵊl 

: the act of rebutting especially in a legal suit

also : argument or proof that rebuts

Synonyms

• refutation

Examples of rebuttal in a Sentence

an effective rebuttal to her claim of having the gift of clairvoyance

Recent Examples on the Web

In the state’s rebuttal, Sund said the DNA analyst testified that Uso was a major male profile on the gun. —Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025

Rollouts and rebuttals Supercharged by the powerful M5 chip, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro delivers even more performance and takes the next big leap in AI for the Mac. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2025

The pace has been brisk and the tone combative, with Zohran Mamdani and Andrew Cuomo trading rehearsed lines and sharp rebuttals. —Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Candidates have 1 minute to answer questions and 30 seconds for rebuttals. —Dana Afana, Freep.com, 15 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rebuttal

• cuttle
• scuttle
• shtetl
• shuttle
• subtle
• suttle

Kids Definition

rebuttal

noun

re·​but·​tal ri-ˈbət-ᵊl 

: the act of rebutting

also : argument or proof that rebuts

Legal Definition

rebuttal

noun

re·​but·​tal ri-ˈbət-ᵊl 

: the act or procedure of rebutting

also : evidence or argument that rebuts