refute

[ ri-fyoot ]

/ rɪˈfyut /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR refute ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), re·fut·ed, re·fut·ing.

to prove to be false or erroneous, as an opinion or charge.

to prove (a person) to be in error.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

refuse, refusenik, refusion, refutation, refutative, refute, reg, reg., reg. prof., regain, regal

Origin of refute

1505–15; < Latin refūtāre “to check, suppress, refute, rebut,” equivalent to re- re- + -fūtāre presumably, “to beat” (attested only with the prefixes con- and re-; cf. confute)

SYNONYMS FOR refute

1 disprove, rebut.

1, 2 confute.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR refute ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

re·fut·a·ble

[ri-fyoo-tuh-buhl, ref-yuh-tuh-] /rɪˈfyu tə bəl, ˈrɛf yə tə-/, adjectivere·fut·a·bil·i·ty, nounre·fut·a·bly, adverbre·fut·er, noun

self-re·fut·ed, adjectiveself-re·fut·ing, adjectiveun·re·fut·a·ble, adjectiveun·re·fut·a·bly, adverbun·re·fut·ed, adjectiveun·re·fut·ing, adjective

Can be confused

deny disapprove disprove rebut refutedispute refuterefudiate refute repudiate (see word story at refudiate)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for refutable

It is certainly not the least charm of a theory, says Nietzsche, that it is refutable.
Philosophy and The Social Problem|Will Durant
If my belief ever had its origin in reason, it must be ever refutable by reason.
Edward Caldwell Moore|Edward Moore

British Dictionary definitions for refutable

refute

/ (rɪˈfjuːt) /

verb

(tr) to prove (a statement, theory, charge, etc) of (a person) to be false or incorrect; disprove

to deny (a claim, charge, allegation, etc)

Derived Forms

refutable (ˈrɛfjʊtəbəl, rɪˈfjuː-), adjectiverefutability (ˌrɛfjʊtəˈbɪlɪtɪ, rɪˌfjuː-), nounrefutably, adverbrefuter, noun

Word Origin for refute

C16: from Latin refūtāre to rebut

usage

The use of refute to mean deny is thought by many people 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