“+ transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English disproven, from Middle French desprover, from des- dis- (I) + prover to prove — more at prove
1.
a. : to prove to be other than is claimed or maintained : show to be fake : refute
the defendant's claims were disproved by the evidence
b. archaic : to prove wrong a claim or assertion by (a person)
2. obsolete : to disapprove of : disallow
Synonyms:
refute , confute , rebut , controvert : disprove is the most general of these terms in implying only the demonstration of the falsity, invalidity, or erroneousness of an argument or claim
charges of this kind have the peculiar advantage that even when disproved or shown to be manifestly absurd, they leave a stain behind them — J.A.Froude
the final values of life, the ultimate meanings of experience, are just those that no man can prove, and that no man can disprove either — George Hedley
he argues … that scientific thinking proper can do nothing to disprove Christian doctrines — W.P.Alston
the authenticity of this runic writing … is far from disproved — American Guide Series: Minnesota
refute usually suggests disproof of an argument or claim by careful logical or legal method as by the presenting of evidence, authoritative opinion, testimony of witnesses, or closely reasoned argument, or disproof by a fact or method acceptable to logic or legal process
to refute all claims against the man by convincing circumstantial evidence
the president's power to see that the laws are faithfully executed refutes the idea that he is to be a lawmaker — Current History
one can disagree with his views, but one can't refute them … every particle of him asseverates the truth which is in him — Henry Miller
with respect to that other, more weighty accusation, of having injured Mr. Wickham, I can only refute it by laying before you the whole of his connection with my family — Jane Austen
the universe refutes our closet rationalizations and our kitchen diagrams — W.L.Sullivan
confute suggests more the attempt to overwhelm or the actual overwhelming of someone else's arguments by any method even though it may be legitimate refutation
the dialectical arguments employed by the Sophists … were designed to confute their adversaries rather than to establish true knowledge — Frank Thilly
hypotheses which may be confuted by experience — A.J.Ayer
to confute the too-frequent misstatement that poor laws came in with the Reformation — G.G.Coulton
ignorance of the law excuses no man … because it is an excuse every man will plead, and no man can tell how to confute him — Robert Just
rebut throws stress upon the act of opposing an argument or claim as well as suggesting a certain formality of method although not necessarily implying successful refutation
the author carefully examined and rebutted, point by point, many of the arguments — M.F.A.Montagu
this presumption could be rebutted only by clear and convincing evidence to the contrary — U.S. Code
he rebuts the legend about the Italian not being a good fighter — Times Literary Supplement
controvert like rebut stresses the act of opposing but suggests such opposition as in denial or contradiction as much as in refutation, suggesting often a certain valiant effort to refute, although like rebut not necessarily implying success
a number of character witnesses … testified … and the prosecution did not try to controvert what they said — St. Clair McKelway
delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted — Jane Austen
the two series of experiments, one which favors their view, the other controverting it — Annual Review of Medical
reasons of a new kind to controvert the dangerous arguments of their opponents — M.F.A.Montagu
the thesis which is maintained by one school and controverted by another — A.J.Ayer
a few controvert and reject it by reasoning — J.A.Hobson