1
as in to deny
to declare not to be true
while he was publicly refuting rumors of a merger, behind the scenes the CEO was working to effect that very outcome
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to discredit
to prove to be false
the victories of African-American athlete Jesse Owens in the 1936 Olympics effectively refuted the racial views of the Nazis
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refute
For its part, Google has been celebrating its AI developments, insisting that content producers don't know what's best for them, refuting any concerns with comments about search volume increases and ever-more-complex search query strings.
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Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 20 May 2025
Max Hollein, anyway, refutes the idea that the collection is a bid for museum attendance, or for trendy attention.
—Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
When contacted, Gillespie and cinematographer Denis Crossan both politely refuted Hewitt’s anecdote.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 15 May 2025
The basic logic is that a court needs to know whether evidence exists to support or refute a plaintiff’s claims, and a fair and transparent legal process necessitates evidence be preserved.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for refute
Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 20 May 2025
Max Hollein, anyway, refutes the idea that the collection is a bid for museum attendance, or for trendy attention.
—Nick Paumgarten, New Yorker, 19 May 2025
When contacted, Gillespie and cinematographer Denis Crossan both politely refuted Hewitt’s anecdote.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 15 May 2025
The basic logic is that a court needs to know whether evidence exists to support or refute a plaintiff’s claims, and a fair and transparent legal process necessitates evidence be preserved.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for refute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refute
Verb
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The university in January 2024 denied Tucker’s appeal of the findings.—
Kenny Jacoby,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
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According to officers, the man acknowledged engaging in lewd behavior and taking photos of children but denied touching anyone.—
Tanasia Kenney,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Trump’s team is working furiously to keep the bill going on other fronts, too: seeking to discredit Congress’s nonpartisan scorekeeper while savaging Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., for resisting the bill and its debt ceiling increase.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
6 June 2025
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The White House has sought to discredit the CBO, but other groups have also presented estimates that conclude that the legislation would expand the U.S. government deficit by trillions of dollars.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
4 June 2025
Verb
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But judges reviewing other eligibility cases have rejected this interpretation as construing Alston beyond its actual words.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2025
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The Dolphins have maintained contact with veteran free agent cornerback Rasul Douglas, who rejected a Miami offer earlier this month.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2025
Verb
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The number 2047 can be expressed as 23 times 89, disproving the conjecture.—
Jeremiah Bartz,
The Conversation,
30 May 2025
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If criminal activity is suspected, it should be confirmed or disproved through due process in the court system, based on evidence.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The report and Shilling’s own experiences contradict how President Trump and administration officials have sought to frame her and other transgender troops’ service.—
Brooke Migdon,
The Hill,
5 June 2025
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The most sophisticated marketing measurement should align with and quantify the realities marketers intuitively understand, not contradict them.—
Cody Greco,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Verb
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But the decision was overturned to a no-contest after Keyshawn tested positive for marijuana.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2025
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Adeyemi then had a penalty overturned in the 35th minute.—
Manuel Veth,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors have used those clips to rebut the defense’s arguments or to highlight inconsistencies in Read’s own statements.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
4 June 2025
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The notice to the school said Harvard had 30 days to provide evidence to rebut the administration's effort to end Harvard's use of the Student Exchange and Visitor Program.—
Sean Herbert,
CBS News,
29 May 2025
Verb
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Now seems like a good time to look at each one and discuss the highlights of the different articles, player options and plug in rules on display in each.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Hegseth planned to appear before the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee alongside Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, and acting Pentagon Comptroller Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell to discuss the administration's upcoming 2026 budget request.—
Anne Flaherty,
ABC News,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Refute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refute. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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