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| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | prove false; discredit |
| Synonyms: | abnegate, argue against, blow sky high, break, burn, burn down, cancel, cancel out, confute, contend, contradict, contravene, convict, counter, crush, debate, demolish, disclaim, disconfirm, dispose of, disprove, dispute, evert, explode, expose, gainsay, give the lie to, give thumbs down to, invalidate, negate, oppose, overthrow, parry, quash, rebut, reply to, repudiate, shoot down, shoot full of holes, show up, silence, squelch, take a stand against, tear down, top* |
| Notes: | deny means to declare untrue or refuse to accept or believe or to refuse to recognize or acknowledge; refute means to prove to be false, wrong, or incorrect to rebut a statement is to offer clear evidence or a reasoned argument against it; to refute a statement is to prove it wrong (neither means 'contradict' or 'deny') refute means 'to show conclusively to be false or illogical' and applies primarily to assertions or arguments; confute means 'to prove wrong' and applies primarily to the person or agency making the assertion or argument |
| Antonyms: | endorse, prove, ratify, sanction, support |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | attack |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | assault verbally |
| Synonyms: | abuse, berate, blame, blitz, censure, criticize, impugn, jump down one's throat, jump on one's case, lay into, malign, refute, reprove, revile, shoot down, stretch, vilify |
| Antonyms: | defend, resist, submit, withstand |
| Main Entry: | break |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | weaken, cause instability |
| Synonyms: | bankrupt, bust, confound, confute, controvert, cow, cripple, declass, degrade, demerit, demoralize, demote, disconfirm, dispirit, disprove, downgrade, enervate, enfeeble, humiliate, impair, impoverish, incapacitate, pauperize, rebut, reduce, refute, ruin, subdue, tame, undermine |
| Notes: | to brake is to slow or stop while break is to cause to separate into pieces suddenly or violently, smash or crack |
| Antonyms: | stabilize, strengthen |
| Main Entry: | cancel |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | equal out |
| Synonyms: | abort, abrogate, annul, balance out, call off, compensate for, counteract, counterbalance, countercheck, countermand, counterpoise, declare invalid, discard, discharge, frustrate, ignore, invalidate, make up for, negate, neutralize, nullify, offset, overthrow, put an end to, recall, recant, redeem, redress, refute, render inert, render null and void, repeal, repudiate, rescind, retract, revoke, rule out, set aside, suppress, vacate, void |
| Antonyms: | imbalance, tip |
| Main Entry: | complain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | grumble about |
| Synonyms: | accuse, ascribe, attack, beef, bellyache, bemoan, bewail, bitch, carp, cavil, charge, contravene, criticize, defy, demur, denounce, deplore, deprecate, differ, disagree, disapprove, dissent, expostulate, find fault, fret, fuss, gainsay, grieve, gripe, groan, grouse, growl, grumble, impute, indict, kick up a fuss, lament, lay, look askance, make a fuss, moan, nag, object, oppose, protest, refute, remonstrate, repine, reproach, snivel, sound off, take exception to, wail, whimper, whine, yammer |
| Antonyms: | applaud, approve, be content, be happy, commend, praise, recommend, sanction |
| Main Entry: | contravene |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | go against, contradict |
| Synonyms: | abjure, breach, break, combat, conflict with, counteract, cross, defy, disaffirm, disobey, encroach, exclude, fight, gainsay, hinder, impugn, infract, infringe, interfere, interpose, intrude, negate, offend, oppose, overstep, refute, reject, repudiate, resist, spurn, thwart, transgress, traverse, trespass, violate |
| Antonyms: | agree, aid, allow, approve, assent, assist, concur, consent, endorse, help, permit, uphold |
| Main Entry: | controvert |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | oppose, argue |
| Synonyms: | break, challenge, confound, confute, contest, contradict, counter, debate, deny, disconfirm, discuss, disprove, dispute, oppugn, question, rebut, refute, wrangle |
| Antonyms: | agree, forbear, harmonize, make peace, restrain |
| Main Entry: | convince |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | gain the confidence of |
| Synonyms: | argue into, assure, brainwash, bring around, bring home to, bring to reason, change, demonstrate, draw, effect, establish, get, hook*, induce, make a believer, overcome, persuade, prevail upon, prompt, prove, put across, refute, satisfy, sell one on, sell*, sway, talk into, turn, twist one's arm, win over |
| Notes: | you convince someone to believe - but persuade someone to act to persuade is to get someone to do something; to convince is to get someone to think something |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | debate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | argue, discuss |
| Synonyms: | agitate, altercate, answer, bandy, bicker, bump heads, canvass, chew the fat, cogitate, confab, confute, consider, contend, contest, controvert, cross swords, deliberate, demonstrate, differ, discept, disprove, dispute, hammer away at, hash over, hassle, have at it, kick around, knock around, lock horns, moot, oppose, pettifog, pick a bone, prove, put up argument, question, reason, rebut, refute, rehash, set to, talk back, talk game, thrash out, toss around, wrangle |
| Antonyms: | agree, go along |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
