incontrovertible

USAGE SUMMARY

"incontrovertible" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is an adjective often used to describe something that is unquestionably true or certain. For example, "The scientific evidence was incontrovertible, leaving no room for doubt."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

She said that, if implemented, the recommendations would "not only shorten the investigative process, they would provide investigators with immediate, accurate and incontrovertible evidence, which would be of benefit to all".

The Guardian

The original sort has an incontrovertible answer: profits.

The Economist

Now ponder something incontrovertible: that my opponent made an unusually explicit bet that America's diplomatic hand would be magically strengthened if he were seen listening to other governments, swaggering less, paying careful heed to grievances in the Muslim world and paying more respect to multilateral bodies.

The Economist

This year South Korea is sending a record 500,000 tonnes of grain with no very vigorous effort to verify its destination.Only one part of the nuclear agreement stands out as clear and incontrovertible, and that is a consensus that the parties will meet again in early November.

The Economist

Such ideas should be explored.The moral case for migration is incontrovertible: it greatly lessens human misery.

The Economist

Mr Bush's vice-president, Dick Cheney, was especially reckless when declaring as incontrovertible truth that Mr Hussein had resumed his nuclear-weapons programme.

The Economist

"The top 1% pocketed 42% of the stockmarket gains between 1989 and 1997, while the top 10% of the population took 86%." He shows with equally incontrovertible numbers that in every way, America has been experiencing, not widely distributed prosperity, but an unprecedented increase of inequality.

The Economist

With reference to the troubles in the euro zone, their arguments against a currency union were sufficiently clear, if not incontrovertible, to cast doubt on one of the nationalists' fundamental claims.

The Economist

This would be where the author has privileged access to some incontrovertible truth and tries to make the message widely known Moses stumbling upon the burning bush, for example.

The Economist

In the absence of incontrovertible scientific data, it will be hard to minimise the influence of lobbying and special pleading from either side of the argument.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

As regards the credentials of Stewart's 'incontrovertible logical maxim', if the claim that human nature is invariant is an empirical claim, it must be based on observation of our contemporaries and on evidence of people's lives in other places and at other times.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "incontrovertible" when you want to convey absolute certainty and leave no room for doubt or dispute. It's most effective when referring to facts, evidence, or logical conclusions.

Common error

Avoid using "incontrovertible" to describe opinions or beliefs that are not based on objective evidence. This can make your writing sound overly assertive or dogmatic.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "incontrovertible" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something that is not capable of being denied or disputed. Ludwig AI confirms its common use in various contexts, fitting its role as a descriptor of certainty.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Encyclopedias

32%

Science

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

1%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "incontrovertible" is a versatile adjective employed to emphasize undeniable certainty. As Ludwig AI highlighted, its grammatical correctness is confirmed. Frequently found within news, encyclopedias, and scientific contexts, its function aims to assert the absolute truth with formal expression. Usage tips advise caution against overuse in subjective contexts, maintaining its effective application to objective, evidence-based claims. Related alternatives include "indisputable", "unquestionable" and "undeniable", all of which underscore its central meaning of unquestionable validity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

indisputable

Emphasizes the impossibility of arguing against something.

unquestionable

Highlights the lack of grounds for questioning something.

undeniable

Focuses on the impossibility of denying the truth of something.

irrefutable

Stresses the impossibility of refuting something with evidence or argument.

unassailable

Highlights the inability to attack or challenge something successfully.

beyond doubt

Indicates a complete absence of uncertainty.

conclusive

Emphasizes the decisive nature of evidence or proof.

demonstrable

Focuses on the ability to show or prove something clearly.

certain

Implies a firm belief or knowledge about something.

self-evident

Highlights that something is obvious without needing proof.

FAQs

How to use "incontrovertible" in a sentence?

"Incontrovertible" is used to describe facts or evidence that are undeniably true. For example: "The scientific evidence was "incontrovertible"."

What can I say instead of "incontrovertible"?

You can use alternatives like "indisputable", "unquestionable", or "undeniable" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "incontrovertible proof" or "incontrovertible evidence"?

Both "incontrovertible proof" and "incontrovertible evidence" are correct and commonly used. They both emphasize the undeniable nature of the proof or evidence.

What's the difference between "incontrovertible" and "irrefutable"?

"Incontrovertible" means impossible to deny or dispute, while "irrefutable" means impossible to disprove. While similar, "irrefutable" focuses more on the strength of the argument or evidence against being disproven.