1
as in denies
to declare not to be true
while he was publicly refuting rumors of a merger, behind the scenes the CEO was working to effect that very outcome
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discredits
to prove to be false
the victories of African-American athlete Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics effectively refuted the racial views of the Nazis
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Recent Examples of refutes
Heuermann's ex-wife refutes wrongful death lawsuit Heuermann's ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, and her daughter with Heuermann have been named in a wrongful death lawsuit that was brought by the son of victim Valerie Mack.
—
Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Washington has boosted claims that attacks on Nigerian Christians by militants constitute genocide — a characterization the Nigerian government strongly refutes.
—Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Browsh refutes the idea the NFL chose Bad Bunny as a political stunt.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Data consistently refutes the idea that theaters and streaming are in a zero-sum battle for different audiences.
—Joseph M. Singer, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
The clear video evidence starkly refutes the party line.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
That statement alone refutes claims that IHRA is meant to silence debate.
—David Moore, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026
This definitive non-detection directly contradicts earlier hints and fully refutes claims from experiments such as Neutrino-4, which reported positive evidence for such a signal.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025
And refutes this idea that dinosaurs were in decline before the asteroid struck.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
Jeff Capellini, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
Washington has boosted claims that attacks on Nigerian Christians by militants constitute genocide — a characterization the Nigerian government strongly refutes.
—Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Browsh refutes the idea the NFL chose Bad Bunny as a political stunt.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Data consistently refutes the idea that theaters and streaming are in a zero-sum battle for different audiences.
—Joseph M. Singer, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026
The clear video evidence starkly refutes the party line.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2026
That statement alone refutes claims that IHRA is meant to silence debate.
—David Moore, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2026
This definitive non-detection directly contradicts earlier hints and fully refutes claims from experiments such as Neutrino-4, which reported positive evidence for such a signal.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Dec. 2025
And refutes this idea that dinosaurs were in decline before the asteroid struck.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refutes
Verb
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Husband of missing Michigan woman arrested in Bahamas; his attorney says Brian Hooker categorically denies wrongdoing in her disappearance.—
R.j. Rico,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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Nine grandmothers, all in their nineties, staring down death without justice as a far-right Japanese government denies their history.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Her death certificate lists the cause as accidental, but her dad rejects that with every fiber of his being.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
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Lyons, like Kennedy and other anti-vaccine advocates, rejects the idea that MAHA is anti-vaccine, instead casting it as an effort to challenge taboos and champion medical freedom.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Such a determination would require new radiocarbon dating that overturns the original results, which would involve clipping and destroying another snippet of shroud—a step that the Vatican is unlikely to allow.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
9 Apr. 2026
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Simpler flight design The concept overturns the idea that shock waves must be reduced.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The footage contradicts an earlier police statement that said Wilkins had pointed a gun at officers.—
Ash-har Quraishi,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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The footage, which ProPublica and FRONTLINE have reviewed, contradicts the claims that the men had interfered with the agents.—
A.C. Thompson,
ProPublica,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Tootles’ death disproves this, showing that a hybrid being can die under extreme circumstances.—
Leia Mendoza,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
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Needs teeth Reforms are being reversed not because data disproves the need, but because the politics now allow retreat.—
Hansel Alejandro Aguilar,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Rachel Comey, the brand, rebuts this claim.—
Maya Singer,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As a result, these corners are areas where misinformation is more prolific—and the science that debunks that misinformation receives little mention, if at all.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
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The department also debunks a myth suggesting a furnace works harder than usual to warm spaces that have been left cooler, which would defeat the purpose of temporarily lowering the temperature to optimize savings.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Refutes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refutes. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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