1
as in refuting
to prove to be false
a Web site that assiduously debunks urban legends
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exposing
to reveal the true nature of
the investigative reporter easily debunked the charlatan's claims of clairvoyance
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debunking
Since the 1990s, neuroscientists have accumulated evidence debunking this idea.
—
Alicia Garceau, NPR, 6 Mar. 2026
After stirring the pot on social media, Lisa Rinna is debunking the rumor that Colton Underwood stormed out of The Traitors reunion.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026
Rudd's July appearance on the Take Off Your Shoes podcast circulated widely enough online that the fact-checking website Snopes even published an article that month debunking the claim that Rudd was seriously injured in the coffee-spilling incident featured on the episode.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Thankfully, Reddit came to the rescue and started debunking the theory almost right away.
—John Brandon, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Conversely, the ballot initiative's proponents have pointed to studies debunking the idea that higher taxes result in the migration of significant numbers of wealthy people and businesses.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 7 Jan. 2026
The authors have clearly considered most of the arguments against their natalist positions, and much of the book is devoted to debunking common objections to the call for more babies.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
In the first place—as every Thanksgiving-myth-debunking article notes—turkey doesn’t have a lot of tryptophan.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 26 Nov. 2025
The doc will also say its DNA analysis reveals a very high testing score for autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar, while debunking the notion that Hitler had Jewish ancestry.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2025
Alicia Garceau, NPR, 6 Mar. 2026
After stirring the pot on social media, Lisa Rinna is debunking the rumor that Colton Underwood stormed out of The Traitors reunion.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026
Rudd's July appearance on the Take Off Your Shoes podcast circulated widely enough online that the fact-checking website Snopes even published an article that month debunking the claim that Rudd was seriously injured in the coffee-spilling incident featured on the episode.
—Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Thankfully, Reddit came to the rescue and started debunking the theory almost right away.
—John Brandon, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Conversely, the ballot initiative's proponents have pointed to studies debunking the idea that higher taxes result in the migration of significant numbers of wealthy people and businesses.
—Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 7 Jan. 2026
The authors have clearly considered most of the arguments against their natalist positions, and much of the book is devoted to debunking common objections to the call for more babies.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
In the first place—as every Thanksgiving-myth-debunking article notes—turkey doesn’t have a lot of tryptophan.
—Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 26 Nov. 2025
The doc will also say its DNA analysis reveals a very high testing score for autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar, while debunking the notion that Hitler had Jewish ancestry.
—Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 12 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debunking
Verb
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Late in the evening, the sheriff's office posted that no injuries or deaths had been reported from the storm, refuting social media rumors.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA TODAY,
11 Mar. 2026
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But the company is refuting the claims.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This would give people peace of mind that their car will start during the winter months and/or to avoid exposing them from being pushed to spend a couple of hundred dollars on an unnecessary replacement.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
14 Mar. 2026
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Show business can be exposing and unbearably harsh, which is tough to deal with at any age, let alone for young actors who haven't fully matured yet.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When archaeologists began uncovering ancient statues many centuries after their creation, there was often little sign that they had ever been painted.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Mar. 2026
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The indie follows a pair of siblings who discover a disturbing secret surrounding their Texas town after uncovering a cache of mysterious video clips.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debunking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debunking. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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