Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense refutes, present participle refuting, past tense, past participle refuted
1. verb
If you refute an argument, accusation, or theory, you prove that it is wrong or untrue.
[formal]
It was the kind of rumour that it is impossible to refute. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: disprove, counter, discredit, prove false More Synonyms of refute
2. verb
If you refute an argument or accusation, you say that it is not true.
[formal]
Isabelle is quick to refute any suggestion of intellectual snobbery. [VERB noun]
refute in British English
(rɪˈfjuːt)
verb
1. (transitive)
to prove (a statement, theory, charge, etc) of (a person) to be false or incorrect; disprove
2.
to deny (a claim, charge, allegation, etc)
▶ USAGE The use of refute to mean deny is thought by many people to be incorrect
Derived forms
refutable (ˈrɛfjʊtəbəl, rɪˈfjuː-)
adjective
refutability (ˌrɛfjʊtəˈbɪlɪtɪ, rɪˌfjuː-)
noun
refutably (ˈrefutably)
adverb
refuter (reˈfuter)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin refūtāre to rebut
refute in American English
(rɪˈfjut)
verb transitiveWord forms: reˈfuted or reˈfuting
1.
to prove (a person) to be wrong; confute
2.
to prove (an argument or statement) to be false or wrong, by argument or evidence
3.
to deny the truth or validity of
usage objected to by some
SIMILAR WORDS: disˈprove
Derived forms
refutable (reˈfutable) (rɪˈfjutəbəl; ˈrɛfjətəbəl)
adjective
refutably (reˈfutably)
adverb
refuter (reˈfuter)
noun
Word origin
L refutare, to repel, check: see re- & confute
Examples of 'refute' in a sentence
refute
We strongly refute these claims.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The firms refuted the claims and said the adverts met advertising standards.
The Sun (2012)
And a quick look at the numbers would tend to refute this theory.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It is difficult to refute this accusation.
The Times Literary Supplement (2010)
Lawyers for the accused refuted the charges.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
We utterly refute any allegation to the contrary.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The activists and the police refuted the claims.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He is strenuously keen to refute any charges of elitism that might still cling to the place.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We strongly refute any allegations regarding the culture of the organisation.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But he refuted the claims and his wife stuck by him.
The Sun (2013)
The officer representing him made no attempt to refute the allegations.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But we strongly refute any allegation the programme is in any way faked.
The Sun (2013)
Friends pointed to his comments at the weekend in which he refuted claims that he had sold his yacht.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
None of them refuted the charges.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They both vigorously refute the allegations.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Let's refute the second charge straight away.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
This study uses historical fact and Scripture to refute those claims.
Christianity Today (2000)
The most recent outpourings have suggested that his marriage is failing, a claim the couple refute.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We completely refute these allegations, which are both false and defamatory.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
I must be able to refute these rumours point by point.
Elizabeth Gaskell Wives and Daughters (1864)
I totally refute the charges and will vigorously defend myself against them.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He can no longer be punished for what he is accused of doing, but he cannot refute the accusations either.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Some writers are aware that to refute a charge is stronger than to deny it, but are unclear where the difference lies.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He simply held up his purple ribbon and raised his eyebrows at me as if to say'your argument is thus refuted'.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
refute
British English: refute VERB
If you refute an argument, accusation, or theory, you prove that it is wrong or untrue.
It was the kind of rumour that it is impossible to refute.
American English: refute
Brazilian Portuguese: refutar
Chinese: 驳倒
European Spanish: rebatir
French: réfuter
German: widerlegen
Italian: confutare
Japanese: 誤りを証明する
Korean: 반박하다
European Portuguese: refutar
Latin American Spanish: rebatir
(verb)
Definition
to prove (a statement or theory) to be false or incorrect
It was the kind of rumour that is impossible to refute.
Synonyms
disprove
The statistics disprove his hypothesis.
counter
The union countered with letters rebutting the company's claim.
discredit
prove false
silence
overthrow
negate
I can neither negate nor affirm this claim.
rebut
She spent most of the speech rebutting criticisms.
give the lie to
blow out of the water (slang)
confute
Opposites
prove
,
confirm
,
substantiate
Usage note
The use of refute to mean deny as in I'm not refuting the fact that is thought by some people to be incorrect. In careful writing it may be advisable to use refute only where there is an element of disproving something through argument and evidence, as in we haven't got evidence to refute their hypothesis.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of confute
Definition
to prove to be wrong
Synonyms
disprove,
overthrow,
set aside,
refute,
invalidate,
rebut,
prove false,
blow out of the water (slang),
controvert,
oppugn
in the sense of counter
Definition
to say or do (something) in retaliation or response
The union countered with letters rebutting the company's claim.
Synonyms
retaliate,
return,
answer,
reply,
respond,
come back,
retort,
hit back,
refute,
rejoin,
strike back
in the sense of negate
Definition
to deny the existence of
I can neither negate nor affirm this claim.
Synonyms
deny,
oppose,
contradict,
refute,
disallow,
disprove,
rebut,
gainsay (archaic, literary)
Nearby words of
refute
refurbishment
refusal
refuse
refute
regain
regal
regale
Synonyms of 'refute'
refute
Explore 'refute' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of rebut
Definition
to prove that (a claim) is untrue
She spent most of the speech rebutting criticisms.