repudiate

verb re·pu·di·ate \ ri-ˈpyü-dē-ˌāt \

|Updated on: 23 Jul 2018

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Examples: repudiate in a Sentence

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Definition of repudiate

repudiated; repudiating

transitive verb

1 a : to refuse to accept; especially : to reject as unauthorized or as having no binding force

repudiate a contract

repudiate a will

b : to reject as untrue or unjust

repudiate a charge

2 : to refuse to acknowledge or pay

repudiate a debt

3 : to refuse to have anything to do with : disown

repudiate a cause

… unless they repudiated the failed policies of the past and took decisive action, the party might fracture or lose its hold on the electorate.
—Walter A. McDougall

4 dated : to divorce or separate formally from (a woman to whom one is betrothed or married)

"The incident was witnessed by … the Marquess Zanipolo, who, in consequence, has already repudiated his unhappy bride."
—Edith Wharton

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repudiator

play \ri-ˈpyü-dē-ˌā-tər\ noun

See repudiate defined for English-language learners

See repudiate defined for kids

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Examples of repudiate in a Sentence

During the Algerian war of independence, the United States had also repudiated France's claimed right to attack a town in neighboring Tunisia that succored Algerian guerrillas … —Christopher Hitchens, Harper's, February 2001
When witnessing abuse, boys will identify with the seemingly powerful father who appears to be a "winner" and will repudiate the mother, who seems to be the "loser." —Constance Adler, Shape, September 1993
While a wife could divorce her husband only for good reason … a husband could repudiate his wife without giving any reason … —Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, 1991
Voters in Myanmar … appeared today to have sharply repudiated their military rulers and to have given a landslide victory to the main opposition party … —Steven Erlanger, New York Times, 29 May 1990
Photographs, the most ubiquitous emblem of mass culture, found an obvious place in Pop Art, and were embraced by those intent on repudiating the preciosity of action painting. —Naomi Rosenblum, A World History of Photography, 1989
Three weeks after the agreement was made and before any specifications were submitted, the buyer repudiated the agreement. —John D. Calamari and Joseph M. Perillo, The Law of Contracts, 1987
a generation that has repudiated the values of the past
He has publicly repudiated the government's policies.
He published an article that repudiates the study's claims.
She says she has evidence which repudiates the allegations.

Recent Examples of repudiate from the Web

Waters' remarks were repudiated by Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, but many observers pointed to her statement and the incidents involving Nielsen and Sanders as evidence of the continuing collapse of civility in American politics.

— william cummings, USA TODAY, "Sen. Maggie Hassan suspends intern for yelling vulgarity at President Trump," 26 June 2018
Both Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., repudiated Waters' remarks and Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan called for an apology from the congresswoman.

— william cummings, USA TODAY, "The list of Trump White House officials who have been hassled over administration policy," 27 June 2018
He's also been repudiated in a no-confidence vote by the police union in December 2016.

— phillip m. bailey, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville Police Chief Steve Conrad: Rumors of retirement aren't true," 11 June 2018
The 5 Star Movement has traditionally repudiated the idea of governing alongside other parties, but its 31-year-old prime minister candidate, Luigi Di Maio, has softened that stance.

— deborah ball, WSJ, "Surge by Populists Leaves Italy Without Clear Victor," 4 Mar. 2018
Democrats and a handful of Republicans pressed Ms. Haspel to repudiate the program and sought assurances that torture would not be revisited under her watch.

— nicholas fandos, New York Times, "Senate Confirms Gina Haspel to Lead C.I.A. Despite Torture Concerns," 17 May 2018
Without mentioning the case, General Eduardo Villas Boas wrote on his Twitter account that the Brazilian Army was mindful of its institutional mission and shares the wish of all good citizens in repudiating impunity.

— Bloomberg.com, "Brazil on Edge as Lula Awaits Supreme Court Judgment," 4 Apr. 2018
In response to this debacle, GE has repudiated its previous leadership with a zeal unprecedented in a company of its size and stature.

— geoff colvin, Fortune, "What the Hell Happened at GE?," 24 May 2018
But in 2002, a secret Justice Department opinion — long since repudiated — deemed the technique legal for use by the CIA against al Qaeda.

— NBC News, "Democrats, rights advocates are close to losing the battle over torture," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'repudiate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In Latin, the noun "repudium" refers to the rejection of a spouse or prospective spouse, and the related verb repudiare means "to divorce" or "to reject." In the 16th century, English writers used the derivative "repudiate" to mean "to divorce," when in reference to a wife, or "to disown," when in reference to a member of one's family, or just generally "to reject or cast off." By the 19th century the word had also come to be used for the rejection of things that one does not accept as true or just, ranging from opinions and accusations to contracts and debts.

Origin and Etymology of repudiate

Latin repudiatus, past participle of repudiare, from repudium rejection of a prospective spouse, divorce, probably from re- + pudēre to shame

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1545

in the meaning defined at sense 4

See Words from the same year

repudiate Synonyms

Phrases

turn one's back on;

Synonym Discussion of repudiate

decline, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn mean to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering. decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

- declined his party's nomination

refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

- refused to lend them the money

reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

- rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

- teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

- spurned his overtures of friendship

REPUDIATE Defined for English Language Learners

repudiate

verb

Definition of repudiate for English Language Learners

: to refuse to accept or support (something) : to reject (something or someone)
: to say or show that (something) is not true

REPUDIATE Defined for Kids

repudiate

verb re·pu·di·ate \ ri-ˈpyü-dē-ˌāt \

Definition of repudiate for Students

repudiated; repudiating

1 : to refuse to have anything to do with

They repudiated their wayward son.

2 : to refuse to believe or approve of

She repudiated the rumors.

Law Dictionary

repudiate

transitive verb re·pu·di·ate \ ri-ˈpyü-dē-ˌāt \

legal Definition of repudiate

repudiated; repudiating

: to disavow or reject an obligation (as a debt) or duty (as performance under a contract); specifically : to indicate an inability or unwillingness to perform as promised under (a contract)

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