Refute

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: re=fute

CIDE DICTIONARY

Refute, v. t. [F. réfuter, L. refuteare to repel, refute. Cf. Confute, Refuse to deny.].

 To disprove and overthrow by argument, evidence, or countervailing proof; to prove to be false or erroneous; to confute; as, to refute arguments; to refute testimony; to refute opinions or theories; to refute a disputant.  [1913 Webster]
"There were so many witnesses in these two miracles that it is impossible to refute such multitudes."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To confute; disprove. See Confute.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Refute, v.tr.
1 prove the falsity or error of (a statement etc. or the person advancing it).
2 rebut or repel by argument.
3 disp. deny or contradict (without argument).

Usage

Often confused in this sense with repudiate.

Derivative

refutable adj. refutal n. refutation n. refuter n.

Etymology

L refutare (as RE-: cf. CONFUTE)

THESAURUS

Refute

abjure, advocate, allege in support, answer, answer conclusively, argue down, argue for, assert, assert the contrary, belie, break, champion, confound, confute, contend for, contest, contradict, contravene, controvert, counter, countercharge, counterclaim, cross, crush, defeat, defend, demolish, deny, disaffirm, disallow, disavow, disclaim, disconfirm, dismiss, disown, dispose of, disprove, dispute, espouse, evert, finish, floor, forswear, gainsay, impugn, join issue upon, maintain, make a plea, make a rebuttal, nonplus, not accept, not admit, nullify, oppose, overthrow, overturn, overwhelm, parry, plead for, put to silence, rebut, recant, reduce to silence, refuse to admit, rejoin, renounce, reply, repudiate, respond, retract, revoke, riposte, say in defense, settle, shut up, silence, smash all opposition, speak for, speak up for, squash, squelch, stand up for, stick up for, subvert, support, surrebut, surrejoin, sustain, take back, take issue with, undermine, uphold, upset, urge reasons for

ROGET THESAURUS

Refute

Confutation

VB confute, refute, disprove, parry, negative, controvert, rebut, confound, disconfirm, redargue, expose, show the fallacy of, defeat, demolish, break, overthrow, overturn scatter to the winds, explode, invalidate, silence, put to silence, reduce to silence, clinch an argument, clinch a question, give one a setdown, stop the mouth, shut up, have, have on the hip, not leave a leg to stand on, cut the ground from under one's feet, be confuted, fail, expose one's weak point, show one's weak point, counter evidence.