impugn

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: im=pugn

CIDE DICTIONARY

impugn, v. t. [OE. impugnen, F. impugner, fr. L. impugnare; in on, against + pugnare to flight. See Pugnacious.].

 To attack by words or arguments; to contradict; to assail; to call in question; to make insinuations against; to gainsay; to oppose; as, to impugn a person's integrity.  [1913 Webster]
"The truth hereof I will not rashly impugn, or overboldly affirm."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

impugn, v.tr. challenge or call in question (a statement, action, etc.).

Derivative

impugnable adj. impugnment n.

Etymology

ME f. L impugnare assail (as IN-(2), pugnare fight)

THESAURUS

impugn

abjure, accuse, anathematize, anathemize, animadvert on, arraign, assail, assert the contrary, attack, belie, blame, call in question, call to account, cast blame upon, cast reflection upon, censure, complain against, condemn, contest, contradict, contravene, controvert, counter, criminate, cross, cry down, cry out against, cry out on, cry shame upon, damn, decry, denounce, denunciate, deny, disaffirm, disallow, disavow, disclaim, disown, disprove, dispute, forswear, fulminate against, gainsay, impeach, implicate, incriminate, inculpate, indict, inveigh against, involve, join issue upon, negate, negative, not accept, not admit, nullify, oppose, recant, reflect upon, refuse to admit, refute, renounce, reprehend, reproach, reprobate, repudiate, retract, revoke, shake up, take back, take issue with, traverse

ROGET THESAURUS

impugn

Attack

VB attack, assault, assail, invade, set upon, fall upon, charge, impugn, break a lance with, enter the lists, assume the offensive, take the offensive, be the aggressor, become the aggressor, strike the first blow, draw first blood, throw the first stone at, lift a hand against, draw the sword against, take up the cudgels, advance against, march against, march upon, harry, come on, show fight, strike at, poke at, thrust at, aim a blow at, deal a blow at, give one a blow, fetch one a blow, fetch one a kick, give one a kick, have a cut at, have a shot at, take a cut at, take a shot at, have a fling at, have a shy at, be down upon, pounce upon, fall foul of, pitch into, launch out against, bait, slap on the face, make a thrust at, make a pass at, make a set at, make a dead set at, bear down upon, close with, come to close quarters, bring to bay, ride full tilt against, attack tooth and nail, go at hammer and tongs, let fly at, dash at, run a tilt at, rush at, tilt at, run at, fly at, hawk at, have at, let out at, make a dash, make a rush at, strike home, drive one hard, press one hard, be hard upon, run down, strike at the root of, lay about one, run amuck, aim at, draw a bead on, fire upon, fire at, fire a shot at, shoot at, pop at, level at, let off a gun at, open fire, pepper, bombard, shell, pour a broadside into, fire a volley, fire red-hot shot, spring a mine, throw a stone, throw stones at, stone, lapidate, pelt, hurl at, hurl against, hurl at the head of, rock beset, besiege, beleaguer, lay siege to, invest, open the trenches, plant a battery, sap, mine, storm, board, scale the walls, cut and thrust, bayonet, butt, kick, strike, whip, assail, impugn, malign (detract), bomb, rocket, blast, attack, assault, assail, invade, set upon, fall upon, charge, impugn, break a lance with, enter the lists, assume the offensive, take the offensive, be the aggressor, become the aggressor, strike the first blow, draw first blood, throw the first stone at, lift a hand against, draw the sword against, take up the cudgels, advance against, march against, march upon, harry, come on, show fight, strike at, poke at, thrust at, aim a blow at, deal a blow at, give one a blow, fetch one a blow, fetch one a kick, give one a kick, have a cut at, have a shot at, take a cut at, take a shot at, have a fling at, have a shy at, be down upon, pounce upon, fall foul of, pitch into, launch out against, bait, slap on the face, make a thrust at, make a pass at, make a set at, make a dead set at, bear down upon, close with, come to close quarters, bring to bay, ride full tilt against, attack tooth and nail, go at hammer and tongs, let fly at, dash at, run a tilt at, rush at, tilt at, run at, fly at, hawk at, have at, let out at, make a dash, make a rush at, strike home, drive one hard, press one hard, be hard upon, run down, strike at the root of, lay about one, run amuck, aim at, draw a bead on, fire upon, fire at, fire a shot at, shoot at, pop at, level at, let off a gun at, open fire, pepper, bombard, shell, pour a broadside into, fire a volley, fire red-hot shot, spring a mine, throw a stone, throw stones at, stone, lapidate, pelt, hurl at, hurl against, hurl at the head of, rock beset, besiege, beleaguer, lay siege to, invest, open the trenches, plant a battery, sap, mine, storm, board, scale the walls, cut and thrust, bayonet, butt, kick, strike, whip, assail, impugn, malign (detract), bomb, rocket, blast.

Disapprobation

VB disapprove, dislike, lament, object to, take exception to, be scandalized at, think ill of, view with disfavor, view with dark eyes, view with jaundiced eyes, nil admirari, disvalue, improbate, frown upon, look grave, bend the brows, knit the brows, shake the head at, shrug the shoulders, turn up the nose, look askance, look black upon, look with an evil eye, make a wry face, make a wry mouth at, set one's face against, dispraise, discommend, disparage, deprecate, speak ill of, not speak well of, condemn, blame, lay blame upon, cast blame upon, censure, fronder, reproach, pass censure on, reprobate, impugn, remonstrate, expostulate, recriminate, reprehend, chide, admonish, berate, betongue, bring to account, call to account, call over the coals, rake over the coals, call to order, take to task, reprove, lecture, bring to book, read a lesson, read a lecture to, rebuke, correct, reprimand, chastise, castigate, lash, blow up, trounce, trim, laver la tete, overhaul, give it one, give it one finely, gibbet, accuse, impeach, denounce, hold up to reprobation, hold up to execration, expose, brand, gibbet, stigmatize, show up, pull up, take up, cry 'shame' upon, be outspoken, raise a hue and cry against, execrate, exprobate, speak daggers, vituperate, abuse, abuse like a pickpocket, scold, rate, objurgate, upbraid, fall foul of, jaw, rail, rail at, rail in good set terms, bark at, anathematize, call names, call by hard names, call by ugly names, avile, revile, vilify, vilipend, bespatter, backbite, clapperclaw, rave against, thunder against, fulminate against, load with reproaches, exclaim against, protest against, inveigh against, declaim against, cry out against, raise one's voice against, decry, cry down, run down, frown down, clamor, hiss, hoot, mob, ostracize, blacklist, draw up a round robin, sign a round robin, animadvert upon, reflect upon, glance at, cast reflection, cast reproach, cast a slur upon, insinuate, damn with faint praise, hint a fault and hesitate dislike, not to be able to say much for, scoff at, point at, twit, taunt, sneer at, satirize, lampoon, defame, depreciate, find fault with, criticize, cut up, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, take exception, cavil, peck at, nibble at, carp at, be censorious, pick holes, pick a hole, pick a hole in one's coat, make a fuss about, take down, take down a peg, set down, snub, snap one up, give a rap on the knuckles, throw a stone at, throw a stone in one's garden, have a fling, have a snap at, have words with, pluck a crow with, give one a wipe, give one a lick with the rough side of the tongue, incur blame, excite disapprobation, scandalize, shock, revolt, get a bad name, forfeit one's good opinion, be under a cloud, come under the ferule, bring a hornet's nest about one's ears, take blame, stand corrected, have to answer for.

Negation

VB deny, contradict, contravene, controvert, give denial to, gainsay, negative, shake the head, disown, disaffirm, disclaim, disavow, recant, revoke, dispute, impugn, traverse, rebut, join issue upon, bring in question, call in question, give the lie in his throat, give one the lie in his throat, deny flatly, deny peremptorily, deny emphatically, deny absolutely, deny wholly, deny entirely, give the lie to, belie, repudiate, set aside, ignore, rebut, qualify, refuse, recuse.