rebuttal
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of rebuttal
Explanation
When two people debate, one of them makes an argument, and the other follows with a rebuttal, which, plainly put, is the "No, you're wrong, and this is why" argument. We often associate rebuttals with arguments made in the courtroom or public debates that occur around election time, but the word can really apply to any situation in which an argument is put forth and someone disagrees and explains why. Sports fans, for instance, like to argue about the likely winner of an upcoming game, and when you make a case for why your friend is wrong, you are offering a rebuttal of his argument.
Vocabulary lists containing rebuttal
Argumentative Writing
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Rhetoric
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The AP English Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms 1
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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.
She got more and more frustrated, to the point that when Bass was allowed time for a rebuttal, she dejectedly proclaimed, “I haven’t been offered that in a lot of this debate.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
While not framed as a direct response to the earlier controversy, the casting offers a quiet rebuttal to the narrative that once surrounded him.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
The company didn’t provide a rebuttal to what it called “substantial misrepresentations” of its government relationships, business strategy, and financial sustainability.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
In an angry rebuttal to the AFP report, the information minister said the news agency's allegations relied entirely on "shadowy, unnamed sources" and contradicted official statements issued by intelligence agencies and senior lawmakers.
From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026
Etchmiadzin Cathedral still stands today, an impressive rebuttal to the notion that the period following the fall of Rome meant the temporary end of civilisation.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
