disprove of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "disprove of" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "disapprove of," which means to have an unfavorable opinion about something. Example: "I disapprove of the decision to cut funding for the arts program."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

America may disprove of infidelity, but that hasn't stopped viewers from tuning into ESPN.

Independent

"The United States Senate has the responsibility to approve or disprove of my nominees," Mr. Obama said in a statement.

The New York Times

Equal parts of the public approve or disprove of the court in the wake of the decision, and slightly more people disapprove of the court's decision than approve of it.

The New York Times

While I disprove of neither Catholics nor Irish, I do find the combination to be in poor taste".

Huffington Post

The poll found that 56percentt disprove of America's handling of foreign policy issues, including Syria, Iran and Afghanistan, with only 34percentt approving.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Such judgments can be wrong: much the same was said, and soon disproved, of Thailand in the late 1990s.

The Economist

As a teenager, school friends who disproved of my burger credentials would dare me to eat bun kebabs off food carts in Saddar, the city's historic center.

The New York Times

In 2009 it faced allegations, later disproved, of swine flu at one of its pig farms in Mexico.Joining forces with a Western brand to overcome local food-safety concerns in China is becoming a trend.

The Economist

Although Tatum was allegedly disproving of Pettyfer's casting in the first place, the situation worsened after he missed a rent payment for a New York apartment owned by Tatum's friend.

Independent

And there isn't even any of the disproving of familiar assumptions or oft-handled factoids that often go under the name of myth (like the one about Catherine the Great).

The New Yorker

Such a context was called a "casus".[7] It seems likely that the proving and disproving of the sophism sentence was done along the lines of a medieval oral "disputatio" within the classroom setting.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "disapprove of" instead of "disprove of" to express disagreement or disapproval. The latter is a common error and considered grammatically incorrect.

Common error

Avoid using "disprove of" when you mean to express disapproval. "Disprove" means to prove something is false, while "disapprove" means to have an unfavorable opinion. For expressing a negative judgment, "disapprove of" is the correct choice.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "disprove of" functions as a prepositional phrase, often intended to express disagreement or disapproval. However, it's grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI highlights the correct form is the expression: disapprove of.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while "disprove of" appears in various sources, including The New York Times and The Economist, it is considered grammatically incorrect. The correct expression is "disapprove of", which means to have an unfavorable opinion. Ludwig AI confirms this, advising against the use of "disprove of". It's important to use "disapprove of" to accurately convey disagreement or disapproval, and to reserve "disprove" for situations where you are demonstrating the falsity of something.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disapprove of

This is the grammatically correct and widely accepted alternative, conveying a feeling of disagreement or disapproval.

reject

Implies a firm refusal to accept or consider something.

refute

Means to prove something wrong or false, typically with evidence.

invalidate

To prove that something is not valid or correct.

contradict

To state the opposite of what someone else has said, or to be inconsistent with something.

disclaim

To deny responsibility for or connection with something.

negate

To nullify or make ineffective.

oppose

To be against something actively.

decline

To politely refuse something.

dissent from

To hold or express opinions that are at variance with those previously, commonly, or officially expressed.

FAQs

What is the correct way to express disagreement: "disprove of" or "disapprove of"?

The correct phrase is "disapprove of", which means to have an unfavorable opinion. "Disprove" means to demonstrate that something is false.

When should I use "disapprove of"?

Use "disapprove of" when you want to express that you have a negative opinion about something or someone's actions. For example, "I disapprove of his behavior".

What are some alternatives to saying "I disprove of something" (incorrect usage)?

Since "disprove of" is incorrect, use alternatives like "I disapprove of", "I object to", or "I am against" depending on the context.

Is "disprove" ever used with a preposition?

Yes, but not in the same way as "disapprove of". You can "disprove" a theory, a claim, or a hypothesis by providing evidence that it is false. For example, "Scientists disproved the old theory".