1
as in humiliates
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
attempted to discredit her political opponents by deliberately spreading false rumors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in denies
to think not to be true or real
I discredit the story that the old inn is haunted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in refutes
to prove to be false
the pseudoscience of phrenology has been thoroughly discredited
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of discredits
The praiseworthyness of having both sides of the debate evaporates when the host actively discredits the expert and reflexively enhances the legitimacy of the conspiracy theorist.
—
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
In the movie, a gay white man throws the first brick, but almost every public account of the night discredits this version.
—Deion Scott Hawkins, The Conversation, 30 June 2023
Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
In the movie, a gay white man throws the first brick, but almost every public account of the night discredits this version.
—Deion Scott Hawkins, The Conversation, 30 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discredits
Verb
-
Incompetent leadership humiliates us on the global stage.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
And the President doesn’t seem to mind if Vance humiliates himself running errands.—
Amy Davidson Sorkin,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
He has not been charged with a crime and denies any wrongdoing.—
Cristian Benavides,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
Combs denies all misconduct claims.—
Liza Esquibias,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
There is extensive evidence — including Slack and WhatsApp messages, company documents, and witness testimony — that unequivocally refutes her claims.—
Stacy Perman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The woman vehemently refutes those claims to ABC News, and claims Aaron knew about her personal history, including marital status.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Graft inquiry embarrasses Zelensky Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office said in a Telegram announcement that the investigation into Yermak is ongoing.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Now the technology embarrasses an umpire even more than a player could, and what’s the recourse?—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, any skater playing the puck with their stick negates a previous kick.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
-
That could be Talladega, where pack racing in a draft negates aerodynamic advantages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The whole concept of toxic fandom confuses me because, outside of the anger and backwards thinking, because who cares about a movie franchise that much?—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
-
The herb’s fragrance confuses and deters pests from eating your peppers.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discredits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discredits. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
