REFUTATION Synonyms: 21 Similar and Opposite Words

refutation

noun

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈtā-shən

Definition of refutation

as in rebuttal

something (as an argument) that serves to disprove these are hard scientific facts against which there can be no reasonable refutation

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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 refutation Or a refutation of activism — Zayd admires his parents’ commitment. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026 The death of New START represents the refutation of those decades of work. — Matthew Gault, Wired News, 9 Feb. 2026 However, some legal experts and investors are anticipating a partial or full refutation of the president’s IEEPA tariffs, as the justices showed skepticism during arguments about the president’s authority to levy such taxes without Congressional approval. — Jake Angelo, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026 Indian investment behavior, Rustomjee argues, is a living refutation of the efficient market hypothesis, or the idea that stock prices faithfully reflect all available information about the underlying asset. — Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for refutation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for refutation

Noun

The rebuttal, though methodical and logical, was little more than a momentary speed bump for the runaway popularity of the psychedelic bread story.

— Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
Subsequent testing by the centrist think tank Third Way found that not responding cost Democrats roughly eight points, a penalty largely erased by a direct rebuttal.

— Luke Fountain, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of rebuttal

Noun

On a Sunday afternoon in July, while much of the world watched the World Cup final, a counterexample was found to the Jacobian conjecture, a problem that had resisted proof or disproof since 1939.

— Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Non-falsifiable and untestable hypotheses cannot be checked out, and hence those ideas are incapable of disproof.

— Big Think, Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026

Definition of disproof

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refutable

refutation

refutations

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“Refutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refutation. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of refutation

noun

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