1
as in to refute
to prove to be false
a Web site that assiduously debunks urban legends
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to expose
to reveal the true nature of
the investigative reporter easily debunked the charlatan's claims of clairvoyance
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debunk
But Steve Wade, a senior director of operations and procurement at ARS, debunks that myth.
—
Alora Bopray, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Her description of the deceased Alex Pretti brandishing a gun that threatened the lives of Border Patrol officers was quickly debunked, with several videos showing how he was killed despite posing no threat.
—Sheldon Jacobson, Twin Cities, 2 June 2026
Those rumors were promptly debunked, however.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Now, the Chinese team debunked those beliefs after spotting tiny organisms living on rocky surfaces across multiple Pacific trenches.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for debunk
Alora Bopray, USA Today, 2 June 2026
Her description of the deceased Alex Pretti brandishing a gun that threatened the lives of Border Patrol officers was quickly debunked, with several videos showing how he was killed despite posing no threat.
—Sheldon Jacobson, Twin Cities, 2 June 2026
Those rumors were promptly debunked, however.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 29 May 2026
Now, the Chinese team debunked those beliefs after spotting tiny organisms living on rocky surfaces across multiple Pacific trenches.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for debunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debunk
Verb
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Two other retired judges later published their own piece refuting Gilliard’s contention.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
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Tellingly, the company didn’t refute any of the claims made in Republik‘s reporting, but rather weaponized a Swiss legal statute alleging the magazine didn’t give the company’s response enough space.—
Joe Wilkins,
Futurism,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Of course, somewhere so exposed to nature has a responsibility to maintain the beauty of the area.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
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From German dudes discovering Waffle House in the Deep South to Japanese fans experiencing chips and salsa overload in Texas, it's been absolutely beautiful seeing the guests of this great nation being exposed to the best parts of our culture stateside.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
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These allegations will be disproved like all the rest.—
Liza Esquibias,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
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The timing of the declaration comes two weeks after OpenAI publicized one of its AI models as having disproved an 80-year-old mathematical conjecture in geometry.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Federal investigators uncovered other bank robberies in Metro Detroit that also involved suspects from the Houston area.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
9 Dec. 2025
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Perhaps one of Paulson’s most beloved characters in the series, Lana Winters was a journalist unjustly committed to the titular asylum after trying to uncover the institution’s dark secrets.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
News organizations have always faced scrutiny from targets frustrated by elements of their reporting, or looking to discredit those stories altogether.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
15 June 2026
-
Those accusations have long been discredited.—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debunk. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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