| Main Entry: | refute |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | prove false; discredit |
Synonyms: |
abnegate, argue against, blow sky high, break, burn, burn down, cancel, cancel out, confute, contend, contradict, contravene, convict, counter, crush, debate, demolish, disclaim, disconfirm, dispose of, disprove, dispute, evert, explode, expose, gainsay, give the lie to, give thumbs down to, invalidate, negate, oppose, overthrow, parry, quash, rebut, reply to, repudiate, shoot down, shoot full of holes, show up, silence, squelch, take a stand against, tear down, top* |
| Notes: | deny means to declare untrue or refuse to accept or believe or to refuse to recognize or acknowledge; refute means to prove to be false, wrong, or incorrect to rebut a statement is to offer clear evidence or a reasoned argument against it; to refute a statement is to prove it wrong (neither means 'contradict' or 'deny') refute means 'to show conclusively to be false or illogical' and applies primarily to assertions or arguments; confute means 'to prove wrong' and applies primarily to the person or agency making the assertion or argument |
Antonyms: |
endorse, prove, ratify, sanction, support |