disprove

American

[dis-proov] / dɪsˈpruv /

verb (used with object)

disproved, disproving

to prove (an assertion, claim, etc.) to be false or wrong; refute; invalidate.

I disproved his claim.

Synonyms:

confute, negate, contradict, discredit

disprove British

/ dɪsˈpruːv /

verb

(tr) to show (an assertion, claim, etc) to be incorrect

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of disprove

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French desprover, equivalent to des- dis- ¹ ( def. ) + prover prove

Explanation

When you disprove something, you argue against it or give evidence that it's not true. A student falsely accused of cheating on a test will work hard to disprove it. Even though it took years to be acknowledged, Galileo's theory that the planets revolve around the sun managed eventually to disprove previous ideas that the Earth was at the center of the universe. If your friends think your family is ridiculously wealthy, you can disprove this idea by showing them the tiny house you live in and the beat up old car your dad drives. The Old French source of disprove is desprover, "refute or contradict."

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Private-credit managers are trying to disprove a negative—and it has created the biggest upheaval for the $1 trillion market since it came on the scene after the financial crisis.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

He added that software companies right now have no way to disprove the thesis of disruption because that thesis is that the disruption will come in a few years, rather than now.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026

FBI data alone cannot prove or disprove the claim that crime is at a 125-year low because, as he points out, it only started publishing statistics in 1930, and only consistently after 1960.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

Stern explained how this is a bittersweet moment for immigration activists, who relied heavily on McLaughlin’s outlandish statements to disprove DHS lies in court.

From Slate • Feb. 19, 2026

And everyone knows you can’t disprove a rumor.

From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023