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
More: Stellantis needs this new Jeep that revives a classic name to be a hit
Though people on Facebook called it a shooting, the Stellantis spokesperson refuted this claim and said that would not be an accurate description of the situation.
—
Aurora Sousanis, Freep.com, 13 July 2025
The memo also concluded that Epstein died by suicide, refuting other claims that there was foul play behind his 2019 death in prison.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 10 July 2025
Shelby confirmed those figures to The Athletic on Saturday, but three Texas Tech sources refuted that number, with two confirming that Ojo is scheduled to receive an annual compensation of $775,000 per year for three years from Tech’s revenue-sharing pool.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 5 July 2025
The defense also countered the physical evidence: expert witnesses challenged the state’s claim that Willie Stevens’s fingerprint appeared on the calling card found at the scene, while others refuted the allegation that Mrs. Hall had a facial scar in the days following the murder.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for refute
Aurora Sousanis, Freep.com, 13 July 2025
The memo also concluded that Epstein died by suicide, refuting other claims that there was foul play behind his 2019 death in prison.
—Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 10 July 2025
Shelby confirmed those figures to The Athletic on Saturday, but three Texas Tech sources refuted that number, with two confirming that Ojo is scheduled to receive an annual compensation of $775,000 per year for three years from Tech’s revenue-sharing pool.
—The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 5 July 2025
The defense also countered the physical evidence: expert witnesses challenged the state’s claim that Willie Stevens’s fingerprint appeared on the calling card found at the scene, while others refuted the allegation that Mrs. Hall had a facial scar in the days following the murder.
—Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for refute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refute
Verb
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Yet for decades, tens of thousands of children in Hasidic yeshivas have been systematically denied access to that promise.—
Adina Mermelstein Konikoff,
New York Daily News,
22 July 2025
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When Nguyen refused the search and denied the allegation, one deputy allegedly called him a liar and threatened to arrest him.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
22 July 2025
Verb
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This is mainly an effort to discredit and demonize property taxes, which DeSantis wants to abolish or severely curtail in Florida.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
26 July 2025
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Trump’s theory here, juiced by Gabbard, is that Obama used talk of Russian election interference to discredit Trump’s 2016 election win and hobble his first term in office.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
Verb
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Israel has strongly rejected claims that the country is perpetuating a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
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If any other construction would render the clause inoperative, that is an additional reason for rejecting such other construction, and for adhering to the obvious meaning.—
Liz Tracey,
JSTOR Daily,
29 July 2025
Verb
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The perception that the Fins’ brief contender window is closing is one that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa must take it upon himself to disprove.—
Greg Cote
July 17,
Miami Herald,
17 July 2025
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But data from the federal Department of Labor over many years disproves that assertion.—
Nick Langworthy,
New York Daily News,
3 July 2025
Verb
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But the President seemed to contradict the Justice Department memo that suggested there were no more files to be disclosed, instead claiming that there are files but that they were written by his rival predecessors and would only serve as a distraction.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
14 July 2025
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But that has contradicted the administration’s own advisories regarding U.S. citizens visiting those countries.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Later that year, under pressure from the restaurant lobby, the D.C. Council overturned it.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
28 July 2025
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Despite its lack of popularity and the Supreme Court overturning affirmative action in 2023, white women benefited the most from affirmative action, receiving 63% of diversity and inclusion leadership roles over the time period it was administered.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
27 July 2025
Verb
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Gabbard has not directly rebutted the findings by the Senate or other government entities that agreed Russia launched a sweeping interference operation, but has suggested they were based on fake Obama-era intelligence.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
29 July 2025
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But Padden rebutted that in her statement, noting that Galligan underwent two mental competency evaluations — one by the state Office of Civil and Forensic Mental Health in 2024 and another by an independent psychiatrist in June.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
24 July 2025
Verb
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While the job interview can reveal a lot about a company, how an organization acts in discussing compensation gives insight into broader implications about the company.—
Kate Wieczorek,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
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That neighbor hosted a meeting (upstairs, in a building without an elevator) where about 50 community members and a city councilor discussed how to stop the project.—
Jessica Slice,
The Atlantic,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Refute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refute. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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