refute

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "refute" is correct and usable in written English.
It is a verb that means to successfully prove something wrong or incorrect. For example: "The professor refuted the student's argument by citing historical evidence to support his own view."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Now, you may be expecting us at this point (otherwise known as the Debunking Paragraph, in which we refute the proposition of the introduction – in this case that the band need to be amazing and great to match the ambition suggested by their name) to announce that Spector don't live up to their own self-hype.

The Guardian - Music

In response, the Wilderness Society released their own photographs, which they say refute Hunt's and Colbeck's claims.

The Guardian

People are overt in their dislike of my profession, but I must politely refute a worrying amount of misinformation.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Those who take the trouble to refute it point out that less than half the current first team pool of Manchester United are Catholics )the bigots are surprised to learn that Ryan and Fitzpatrick are Protestants).

The Guardian - Sport

We at EnvironmentGuardian.co.uk are struggling to refute CNN's ambitious claims for McKibben's impressive turnout.

The Guardian

Yet the organized crime bureau was cited by the Chicago police "fact sheet" released on 1 March, attempting to refute the Guardian's reporting about a complex where 11 people thus far have told the Guardian they were effectively disappeared.

The Guardian

Ironically, the Chicago police department itself opened the aperture for a broader look into its behavior on Sunday, releasing a three-page "factsheet" attempting to refute the result of investigations by the Guardian.

The Guardian

The accountants put forward the rather implausible argument that, far from this practice allowing conflicts of interest, it enhanced the quality of the audit.The experience at Enron, which last year paid Andersen $25m for its audit, and $27m for non-audit services, would seem to refute this claim.

The Economist

Unless they can convincingly refute this, and Mr Ganji's claim that Mr Ejei signed a sentence of death against Mr Davani, the credibility of Iran's conservative judges will be severely cracked.The judges may prefer lack of credibility to open debate.

The Economist

One is the body of scientific evidence, which is becoming more difficult for Mr Bush to refute.

The Economist

With not a soldier or policeman in sight, the demonstrators displayed a collective determination to refute constant government charges that the opposition movement was irresponsible and destructive, as well as being communist-inspired.In fact, the demonstration fused religion and politics in a specially Persian way.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "refute" when you have strong evidence or logical arguments to disprove something. It implies a successful demonstration of falsehood, not just a disagreement.

Common error

Avoid using "refute" when you only have a weak or speculative counterargument. "Refute" suggests a definitive disproof, so use words like "question" or "challenge" if your evidence is not conclusive.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "refute" is as a transitive verb. It requires a direct object, indicating what is being disproven. Examples from Ludwig show it used in contexts such as ""refute" claims", ""refute" arguments", and ""refute" accusations". Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Formal & Business

16%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the verb "refute" is a valuable tool for expressing disagreement and proving something to be false. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically sound and frequently used in formal contexts. The examples Ludwig provides highlight its presence in news, business, and scientific domains. When seeking alternatives, consider "disprove", "rebut", or "debunk", and remember to use "refute" only when you have substantial evidence to support your argument.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

disprove

Focuses on demonstrating the falsity of something through evidence or argument.

rebut

Emphasizes countering an argument with a reasoned response.

debunk

Implies exposing something as false or exaggerated, often with a sense of ridicule.

invalidate

Highlights rendering something without legal or factual standing.

contradict

Focuses on presenting a statement that opposes another statement.

counter

Suggests opposing an argument or claim with an opposite one.

negate

Emphasizes nullifying or denying the validity of something.

oppose

Indicates resistance or disagreement with a particular idea or action.

challenge

Suggests questioning the validity or accuracy of something.

disclaim

Implies rejecting responsibility or association with something.

FAQs

How can I use "refute" in a sentence?

You can use "refute" to indicate that you are proving something to be false or incorrect. For example, "The lawyer presented evidence to "refute" the claims made by the prosecution".

What's the difference between "refute" and "deny"?

"Deny" simply means to state that something is not true, while "refute" means to prove that something is false or incorrect. Refuting requires evidence, whereas denying does not.

What can I say instead of "refute"?

You can use alternatives like "disprove", "rebut", or "debunk" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "I refute that"?

Yes, it is correct. "I refute that" is a grammatically correct way to express disagreement and the intention to prove something false.