debunk

verb

(ˌ)dē-ˈbəŋk How to pronounce debunk (audio)
Definition of debunknext
1
as in to refute
to prove to be false a Web site that assiduously debunks urban legends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to expose
to reveal the true nature of the investigative reporter easily debunked the charlatan's claims of clairvoyance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of debunk While several of its claims were debunked by independent media shortly after its release, the video triggered a series of government actions in Minnesota. — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 This is a very simple example, and one easily debunked by running the text through a reader that lists all the characters. — Nisha Talagala, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 That belief was debunked long ago, but the tusks remain popular souvenirs in Canada and Greenland. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026 The links between autism and vaccines have been debunked by many studies. — Rob Stein, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for debunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debunk
  1. refute
  2. expose
  3. disprove
  4. uncover
  5. discredit
Verb
  • Brittany Howard, the band’s lead singer and charismatic frontwoman, has spent much of the past decade refuting that notion.
    — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2026
  • New documents obtained by The Associated Press and The Guardian refute that testimony.
    — Ali Swenson, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of refute
Verb
  • The Iran war exposed just how much the world relied on a narrow 20-mile-wide waterway.
    — Katie Silver, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Unwilling to expose himself in this moment, Paul Baker juggles both of his competing personas, continuing the bro-y shouting but with a new panic in his voice and in Jack Innanen’s expressions.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of expose
Verb
  • Legal experts said the slow pace reflects a cautious approach by Graf, the large volume of evidence and a desire by prosecutors to disprove conspiracy theories around the case.
    — Matthew Brown, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Most scientific evidence would agree, although disproving the other possibilities can be problematic.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of disprove
Verb
  • Crucially, professionals must actively listen to uncover underlying needs, use storytelling to clarify concepts, and adapt their message in real-time.
    — William Arruda, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The comprehensive regimen is meant to uncover any prior criminal conduct in an applicant’s past as well as embarrassing personal information that could make an employee vulnerable to blackmail.
    — Eric Tucker, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of uncover
Verb
  • In trying to discredit public concerns about data centers as a psyop, Goldman and others said, tech leaders are taking a page out of the intelligence playbook themselves.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Inflicting these details on the jury, the children’s family members, and the public served no discernible purpose in establishing Clancy’s mens rea, which might have discredited her not-guilty plea.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of discredit

Browse Nearby Words

debugs
debunk
debunked
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Debunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debunk. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All