repudiate

verb

ri-ˈpyü-dē-ˌāt How to pronounce repudiate (audio)
Definition of repudiatenext
1
as in to deny
to declare not to be true vigorously repudiated the charge that she had lied on her résumé

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to refuse
to refuse to acknowledge as one's own or as one's responsibility the angry mother bitterly repudiated her teenaged daughter, telling her that she never wanted to see or hear from her again

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to reject
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to we didn't like the terms, so we repudiated the contract

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to renounce
to solemnly or formally reject or go back on (as something formerly adhered to) the producers of the hit TV show threatened to take the disgruntled actor to court if he attempted to repudiate his contract

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word repudiate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of repudiate are decline, refuse, reject, and spurn. While all these words mean "to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering," repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

When can decline be used instead of repudiate?

The words decline and repudiate can be used in similar contexts, but decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

declined his party's nomination

When is it sensible to use refuse instead of repudiate?

While in some cases nearly identical to repudiate, refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

refused to lend them the money

Where would reject be a reasonable alternative to repudiate?

The words reject and repudiate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

When is spurn a more appropriate choice than repudiate?

In some situations, the words spurn and repudiate are roughly equivalent. However, spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

spurned his overtures of friendship

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 repudiate Democrats have this one chance to repudiate the democratic socialists who are striving to define and control their party. — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 20 July 2026 In 2018, the court unequivocally repudiated its wartime decision that denigrated Japanese Americans. — Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 4 July 2026 Some of those decisions aligned with some unitary executive claims, but others directly repudiated them. — Graham G. Dodds, The Conversation, 30 June 2026 How refreshing to have a MAGA insider repudiate the lies. — Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for repudiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repudiate
  1. deny
  2. refuse
  3. reject
  4. renounce
  5. refute
  6. decline
  7. withdraw
  8. retract
Verb
  • During a month in detention, Khan was denied access to medications for hypothyroidism, high blood pressure and glaucoma, according to testimony by her daughter, Riya Khan.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • He was then kept at Palace the following season playing just eight times, being denied the opportunity for a temporary move away, before playing 36 times for Sheffield United in the Championship in 2024-25, scoring seven times.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of deny
Verb
  • The filing accused Thomas of having refused to allow nannies into his house with his daughter, including one assigned by the court, and of using drugs.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Aug. 2026
  • When the district refused to scrap those policies, the agency rescinded the unrelated federal grants.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of refuse
Verb
  • The Athletic reported on Monday that all parties have now been in direct communication to confirm the deal is off after City’s bid of an initial £75m and £5m in add-ons was rejected.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Palal also rejected the defense’s contention that Davis fabricated his accounts to make money.
    — Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of reject
Verb
  • Eric Lai, a senior fellow with the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said every actor in Hong Kong civil society who assumed that renouncing violence and working within the law would be fine has to revise that assumption.
    — Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Yermolaiev has lived in the glitzy city state on the Mediterranean coast for several years, having left Ukraine and renounced his Ukrainian citizenship in 2019 to become a citizen of Cyprus.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of renounce
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
  • However, entering June, crude prices pulled back significantly, while retail gasoline prices declined at a markedly slower pace.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • At home several center-right parties initially declined to join his coalition, illustrating the challenge of uniting the broader Brazilian right behind his candidacy.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • The defendants’ decision not to question a witness did not amount to carrying out the agreements, the government argued, because the agreements did not require that action and the defendants had not withdrawn their pending motions.
    — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Iran’s parliament is debating a bill to withdraw from the NPT, according to Iranian lawmakers.
    — Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of withdraw
Verb
  • The study was found to be fraudulent; eventually, it was retracted entirely.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • So far, no cinema chains have seemingly gone along with the boycott (NewsCord falsely reported one was going to ban the film, then retracted the claim).
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of retract

Browse Nearby Words

republishing
repudiate
repudiated
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Cite this Entry

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

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