refute
rih-FYOOTverbMeaning to prove that a claim is wrong
Memory hook RE-FUTE: PROOF puts the boot to it. Rex claims the moon is made of cheese, so Sami shows him a moon rock in the science book. Sami refutes the claim: he proves it wrong.
Sami refuted Rex’s claim by showing him a photo of a real moon rock.
In context For years people believed the bridge was unsafe, but the engineer’s tests refuted that belief: it held three times the weight of the heaviest truck.
Similar disprove, debunk, discredit, invalidate
Opposite prove, confirm, support
From Latin refutare, “to drive back, disprove.”