refute

verb

ri-ˈfyüt How to pronounce refute (audio)
Definition of refutenext
1
as in to deny
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 to discredit
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

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 refute While refuting any suggestion of police repression, Lecornu condemned violence on the margins of protests, which were mostly peaceful Tuesday, despite the dramatic scenes that dominated coverage. — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 But Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve refuted those ideas prior to her Game 2 first-round loss. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026 Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork refuted those reports multiple times. — Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026 However, in July, Wayne released a message refuting reports of an engagement, referring to a relationship with someone in the past tense, albeit without mentioning them by name. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refute
  1. deny
  2. discredit
  3. reject
  4. disprove
  5. contradict
  6. overturn
  7. rebut
  8. discuss
Verb
  • The former president denied the accusations and called the proceedings politically motivated.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Trump on Monday alluded to his own frustrations over the reports, which include allegations that Guilfoyle tried to solicit money from a donor to pay off her credit card ahead of her confirmation process (Guilfoyle has denied the story).
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of deny
Verb
  • Baker periodically deployed Darman to discredit and even destroy Baker’s rivals for Presidential attention in the Administration.
    — Bob Woodward, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Gates says Washburn’s petition is a first volley in an attempt to discredit and then defund the Wildlife Council.
    — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of discredit
Verb
  • Quebec voters have twice rejected independence, most recently by a razor-thin margin in a 1995 referendum.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • For countries that rejected the open international order, as the axis countries do today, the benefits were far fewer and the penalties considerable.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of reject
Verb
  • Less than a month after astonishing the world with its solution to the long-standing Navier-Stokes problem, OpenAI has released 722 maths papers, proving or disproving problems across numerous fields from algebraic geometry to number theory.
    — Will Barker, TheWeek, 9 Oct. 2026
  • His injuries acquire a spiritual significance that a scan can neither confirm nor disprove.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of disprove
Verb
  • In the postgame report, the head official contradicted that, saying New York did have their timeout.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • When a dismissal order and the driving record contradict each other, call the office that was supposed to transmit the update.
    — Karen Koehler, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of contradict
Verb
  • American norms about politics, science, education and law are being overturned, and artificial intelligence threatens further disruption.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kathryne Ann Stoltz rejected Luster's attempt to overturn his convictions but granted him a new sentencing hearing.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • The foundation rebutted the claims, posting a response on its website.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Even that is too much, Stanley’s attorneys rebutted in court documents.
    — Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of rebut
Verb
  • The American Academy of Peptide Medicine is slated to meet with the Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday to discuss the pending regulation.
    — David Lim, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Fernandes recently met with Malaysian government officials to discuss funding support for the airline, Reuters reported last week citing unnamed sources.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of discuss

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refuted
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Cite this Entry

“Refute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refute. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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