rebuttal

[ri-buht-l]

noun

1. an act of rebutting, as in a debate.

   Synonyms: confutation, denial, refutation, rejoinder

rebuttal

1. A reply intended to show fault in an opponent's argument.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rebuttal¹

First recorded in 1820–30; rebut + -al ²

Example Sentences

The cognitive labor of constant rebuttal — the fatigue of knowing and re-knowing the same facts — slowly wears down public reasoning.

Read more on Salon

Expect a defiant rebuttal in court: For every person who feels like they were unfairly treated, there is another who might say, “I was here taking our father to doctor’s appointments and buying them groceries.”

Read more on MarketWatch

His story is one of determination, unearthed as a rebuttal to the many insistences that he doesn’t belong in the Marines.

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They could clearly hear his ideas, and he was surrounded by other young people on all sides of the political landscape - an environment that often produced explosive viral videos of his exchanges and rebuttals.

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But the authors of the rebuttal say the report misrepresents evidence, relies on discredited research and fails to follow the peer review process typically expected of rigorous scientific assessments, among other concerns.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• rejoinder 
• reply