impugns

verb

present tense third-person singular of impugn
as in criticizes
formal to criticize (a person's character, intentions, etc.) by suggesting that someone is not honest and should not be trusted He impugned his rival's character. Her motives have been scrutinized and impugned.

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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 impugns Harbour wants to explain his side of a tabloid story that impugns not just his relationship with a colleague, but his professionalism. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 June 2026 None of this impugns Moskowitz’s or Fry’s motives. — Patrick Eddington, Oc Register, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impugns
  1. criticizes
  2. blames
  3. denounces
  4. accuses
  5. condemns
Verb
  • Conversely, Kinaxis's Manik Sharma, a former Palantir executive, acknowledges FDE's potential but criticizes Palantir's execution due to engineers lacking domain knowledge.
    — Steve Banker, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The couple has been targeted by a group called Boycott Divest Zabludowicz, which criticizes them for supporting a pro-Israel lobby.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of criticizes
Verb
  • British maritime officials report drone and projectile strikes as Qatar blames Iran, while dueling warnings over shipping routes complicate fragile talks to reopen the strait and end the conflict.
    — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Maisel blames the short length of time between the unveiling of the initiative and President Biden leaving office - and fierce opposition from affected industries.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 7 July 2026
Definition of blames
Verb
  • Hezbollah denounces the deal as a threat to Lebanese sovereignty, while Israeli leaders vow not to cede ‘a millimeter’ until the group is fully disarmed.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • The project denounces Haiti’s justice system through the story of a woman imprisoned for years without trial and later judged not by law, but by scripture.
    — Lise Pedersen, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
Definition of denounces
Verb
  • Iran may also be wary of attacks by the exiled Mujahadin-e Khalq (MeK), which Iran accuses of carrying out attacks inside Iran over several decades.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • The Department of Justice accuses Yale of illegally favoring Black and Hispanic applicants, citing its interpretation of the 2023 Supreme Court ban on race-conscious admissions.
    — Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of accuses
Verb
  • Victim's mother condemns domestic violence In a statement, Beaver's mother, Susan Beaver, said domestic violence affects too many families.
    — JT Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Olson went on to say that the Holy Father, like his predecessors, consistently condemns acts of terrorism, including those sanctioned by Iran and its surrogates in the Middle East.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of condemns

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Cite this Entry

“Impugns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impugns. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on impugns

Nglish: Translation of impugns for Spanish Speakers

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