Refute

medium

rih-FYOOT

verb

Definition

To prove a statement or theory to be wrong or false

Examples

The scientist refuted the outdated theory with new data.
She easily refuted his weak arguments.

Synonyms

disproverebutdebunkinvalidate

Antonyms

confirmverifyprovesubstantiate

Categories

GRE Tip

Refute is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "disprove" or "rebut" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "confirm".

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