Skip to content
GREMockTests
GRE vocabulary

refute

verbHigh-frequency wordMore R words

to prove a statement or theory to be wrong or false

Word origin: From Latin refutare, to drive back.

Start a free GRE mock test 39 minutes · free · instant score
In a sentence

Refute in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing refute in a sentence.

New evidence completely refuted the prosecution's central claim.

The replication study refuted the original finding, showing that the effect vanished under controlled conditions.

Quick GRE check

Question 1 of 3

3 questions, about 2 minutes. How would you do on the real test?

Verbal · Text Completion

The committee's report was praised for its candor, yet its central recommendation was so blank that administrators could cite it to justify nearly any policy they had already resolved to pursue.

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Usage & nuance

Using “refute” well

In careful usage, refute means to prove a claim false with evidence, not merely to deny or dispute it. Treat it as stronger than rebut, which is the attempt to argue against a claim.

Common questions

Questions about “refute”

Refute (verb) means to prove a statement or theory to be wrong or false
Here is refute used in an example sentence: "New evidence completely refuted the prosecution's central claim." Another example: "The replication study refuted the original finding, showing that the effect vanished under controlled conditions."
Common synonyms for refute include disprove, rebut, discredit, controvert.
Antonyms of refute include prove, confirm, corroborate.
Clusters with disprove, rebut, discredit, and controvert in Sentence Equivalence. Its antonyms prove, confirm, and corroborate mark the opposite pole.
Yes. Refute is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

See these words the way the GRE tests them.

Take the free 39-minute GRE Quick Mock Test and meet words like this inside real Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions, with a worked solution for every answer.