Make Your Point > Archived Issues > REFUTE

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explore the archives: From Latin roots meaning "beat back," refute means to prove that something is wrong or false. Imagine that false claims are flying at you, and you're wielding logic and evidence to beat them back. Coincidentally, there's a similar-sounding word with roots that also mean "beat back:" re_u_e. But it's not a synonym of refute--it doesn't mean to disprove. Instead, this word re_u_e means to scold people or things or point out how bad they are. make your point with... "REFUTE" To refute something is to show that it's wrong. Pronunciation: ruh FYOOT Part of speech: Transitive verb. (Like "eat," "try," and "want," all transitive verbs do something to an object. You eat a banana, try a game, and want a new phone. Likewise, you refute something.) Other forms: Refuted, refuting; refutation(s); refutable, refutability; refutative/refutatory; irrefutable, irrefutability. How to use it: Talk about people refuting claims and charges, refuting arguments and statements, refuting reports and accounts and explanations, refuting theories and ideas, refuting myths and rumors and stories, refuting positions and opinions, refuting documents and records, refuting data and evidence, etc. Even though it's usually people who refute things, we can also say that evidence and facts refute things: "His claim was instantly refuted by photographic evidence." And even though we usually refute things, we can refute people, too, meaning we show that they're wrong about something. For the noun, "refutation," rhyme it with "reputation" ("ref you TAY shun") and treat it like either a countable thing ("these refutations aren't convincing") or an uncountable thing ("this claim deserves serious refutation"). examples: The article attempts to refute the belief that providing free lunch to schoolchildren solves no problems and fosters permanent dependence. If you're writing an essay for school and you run out of things to say before you hit your required word count, try spending a paragraph or two bringing up alternative ideas and refuting them. It's easy and adds depth. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "refute" means when you can explain it without saying "discredit" or "invalidate." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Someone's particular achievement) stands as a refutation of the (idea/claim/belief) that _____." Example: "Hemingway's beloved and often-imitated writing style stands as a refutation of the claim that good writers must use long, complicated sentences." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. License Plate Words! You’ve spotted a cluster of three letters on a license plate. Keep all three letters together—don’t insert any letters between them—but add any letters you like to the left and/or right of the cluster to form words. For example, when you spot the cluster CKG, you can form BACKGROUND and BACKGAMMON (and all their related words, like BACKGROUNDER and BACKGAMMONING, for a total of 8 possible words). We’ll move from easy to hard clusters as the month goes on. (For the curious, you can generate a complete list of answers using a tool like this one.) Let's play! Our previous question: If you spot the cluster DEQ, you can use it to form 16 words, though most of these are various forms of a single word. Give yourself a minute or so. Can you think of it? Possible answers: It was ADEQUATE--and all its related words, like ADEQUATELY, INADEQUACY, etc. You may have also thought of DEQUEUE, the action of removing something from a queue. Try this today: If you spot the cluster JOC, you can use it to form 12 words. Give yourself a minute or so. Can you think of some? review today's word: 1. The opposite of REFUTE is A. CONSIDER B. SUSPECT C. CONFIRM 2. Thoroughly refuted, the rumor _____. A. really ought to disappear but hasn't B. is completely different than its original version C. is fascinating enough to merit some investigation Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. A