Library / English Dictionary

REFUTATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of determining that something is false

Synonyms:

disproof; falsification; falsifying; refutal; refutation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("refutation" is a kind of...):

determination; finding (the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation)

Derivation:

refute (prove to be false or incorrect)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any evidence that helps to establish the falsity of something

Synonyms:

disproof; falsification; refutation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("refutation" is a kind of...):

evidence; grounds (your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "refutation"):

reductio; reductio ad absurdum ((reduction to the absurd) a disproof by showing that the consequences of the proposition are absurd; or a proof of a proposition by showing that its negation leads to a contradiction)

confutation (evidence that refutes conclusively)

counterexample (refutation by example)

Derivation:

refute (prove to be false or incorrect)

refute (overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The speech act of answering an attack on your assertions

Example:

in defense he said the other man started it

Synonyms:

defence; defense; refutation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("refutation" is a kind of...):

answer (the speech act of replying to a question)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "refutation"):

confutation (the speech act of refuting conclusively)

rebuttal (the speech act of refuting by offering a contrary contention or argument)

Derivation:

refute (overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof)

Credits