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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refute
That same year, Patricia Richardson refuted the possibility of returning to the characters while appearing on the Back to the Best podcast.
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Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein did little to refute real-life romance speculation while showing off their on-screen chemistry in Office Romance.
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Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
9 June 2026
California officials, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber, have repeatedly refuted claims of fraud and, in fact, have defended the state’s slower process as critical to ensuring the counts are accurate.
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Linh Tat,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
At trial, defense lawyer Bob Varga refuted the accusation, noting there was no bodycam footage of the incident.
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Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for refute
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein did little to refute real-life romance speculation while showing off their on-screen chemistry in Office Romance.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
9 June 2026
California officials, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber, have repeatedly refuted claims of fraud and, in fact, have defended the state’s slower process as critical to ensuring the counts are accurate.
—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
At trial, defense lawyer Bob Varga refuted the accusation, noting there was no bodycam footage of the incident.
—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for refute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refute
Verb
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His opponent claimed that created a conflict of interest, which Weiser denied.
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The two housekeepers denied having such a conversation with Brown, noting language differences would have made such a discussion unlikely.
Verb
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Instead, they are encouraged to view blue zones primarily through the lens of a sloppy critique that has already been discredited.
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This doesn’t discredit the fact that mental and physical changes from menopause can be disorienting and jarring.
Verb
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Those seeking to stop the roundup reject almost all of the federal agencies’ claims, from the size of the herd to the notion that the horses cause ecological damage.
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While state studies have criticized the state’s education governance model, voters have rejected at least four attempts dating back to 1928 to reform the position.
Verb
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And it’s left to the person it’s aimed at to disprove the association — after a bell has been rung that cannot be unrung.
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And more recently, a new general-purpose AI system from OpenAI disproved an important conjecture in combinatorial geometry.
Verb
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Over the same period, entry-level head count at the high-intensity firms rose 12%, contradicting predictions and fears that young or inexperienced workers would be most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.
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Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the National Assembly, announced Monday that the official toll stood at 1,719 people killed and 5,000 injured, and warned the public against sharing information that contradicted authorities.
Verb
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Tuesday’s ruling means the regulations cannot take effect unless the decision is overturned on appeal.
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Cleveland manager Terry Francona challenged the original safe call at second and got the play overturned after a replay delay that lasted 1 minute, 29 seconds.
Verb
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Beasley and the other defendants will also have the chance to rebut the allegations.
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Such interventions were rebutted by Dal Babu, a former chief superintendent of London’s Metropolitan Police.
Verb
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After discussing the situation with his partner, Cody has decided to remain with the team.
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Teng found a menopause specialist from Midi who discussed the risks and benefits of HRT, and recommended vitamins, supplements, diet and lifestyle changes.
Cite this Entry
“Refute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refute. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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