An argument has moves, and each move has a word. You make a claim (assert, contend, or, without proof, allege). Your opponent answers it (rebut) and may even prove it wrong (refute). Someone may give in on a point (concede). You can argue for a cause (advocate) and urge others to act (exhort). The whole art of persuading is rhetoric, and a fierce attack on an idea is a polemic.
Key idea
The key difference: to rebut is to argue against a claim, whether or not you win; to refute is to prove it wrong. Saying “that’s not true” is neither: it is just a denial.
The ten words
Common mistake
refute means to prove wrong, not just to deny; rebut means to argue against, whether or not you win.
| move | word |
|---|---|
| make a claim firmly | assert, contend |
| make a claim without proof | allege |
| answer a claim | rebut |
| prove a claim wrong | refute |
| admit the other side is right | concede |
| argue for a cause | advocate |
| urge others to act | exhort |
| attack an idea fiercely | polemic (noun) |
| the art of persuading | rhetoric (noun) |
Test makers love refute. A writer who refutes a claim proves it false; a writer who merely rebuts or disputes it has only argued against it.