1
as in refuted
to prove to be false
a Web site that assiduously debunks urban legends
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exposed
to reveal the true nature of
the investigative reporter easily debunked the charlatan's claims of clairvoyance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of debunked
But prosecutors have asked defense attorneys to accept as fact a series of stipulations, based on rumors and, in some instances, debunked in the Haitian investigation.
—
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
News outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have repeatedly debunked the conspiracy theory.
—James Powel, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Salerno suggests that several documents in the first few hundred years after Michelangelo's death correctly attribute the work to the artist but that in 1984 a scholar debunked it, erroneously in her view, and it has remained wrongly attributed ever since.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Here are the most common protein myths, debunked to clear up the confusion about this essential nutrient.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Mar. 2026
Mizrahi knew that studies had debunked its effectiveness in treating COVID.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026
Health and medical experts find Kennedy controversial because of his longtime anti-vaccine beliefs, including a claim widely debunked by medical research that vaccines cause autism.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
But this video has been debunked.
—Layla Ferris, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
The Shroud of Turin was debunked as early as the mid-fourteenth century.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
News outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have repeatedly debunked the conspiracy theory.
—James Powel, USA Today, 4 Mar. 2026
Salerno suggests that several documents in the first few hundred years after Michelangelo's death correctly attribute the work to the artist but that in 1984 a scholar debunked it, erroneously in her view, and it has remained wrongly attributed ever since.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Here are the most common protein myths, debunked to clear up the confusion about this essential nutrient.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Mar. 2026
Mizrahi knew that studies had debunked its effectiveness in treating COVID.
—Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026
Health and medical experts find Kennedy controversial because of his longtime anti-vaccine beliefs, including a claim widely debunked by medical research that vaccines cause autism.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 27 Feb. 2026
But this video has been debunked.
—Layla Ferris, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
The Shroud of Turin was debunked as early as the mid-fourteenth century.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debunked
Verb
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The letter also refuted accusations of a bribe, which were based on a text message a Quest representative had sent Davis.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Why won’t they be refuted easily?—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Pre-existing structures, supported by documentation and commercial logic, carry far more weight than hurried adjustments made after funds are already exposed.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
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But the 7th District has also exposed a fissure among the city’s left-leaning unions, as the CTU has backed Conyears-Ervin and contributed $72,500 to her state central committee fund.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His burial site — which falls within the traditional homeland of the Six Nations of the Grand River — was uncovered during a home renovation in 2023.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Mar. 2026
-
When the conspiracy was uncovered, women were interrogated and punished.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debunked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debunked. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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