debunk
verb
de·bunk
(ˌ)dē-ˈbəŋk 
debunked; debunking; debunks
: to expose the sham (see sham entry 1 sense 2) or falseness of
debunk a legend
debunker
noun
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To debunk something is to take the bunk out of it—that bunk being nonsense. (Bunk is short for the synonymous bunkum, which has political origins.) Debunk has been in use since at least the 1920s, and it contrasts with synonyms like disprove and rebut by suggesting that something is not merely untrue but is also a sham—a trick meant to deceive. One can simply disprove a myth, but if it is debunked, the implication is that the myth was a grossly exaggerated or foolish claim.
Examples of debunk in a Sentence
The article debunks the notion that life exists on Mars.
The results of the study debunk his theory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Point by point, O’Donnell debunks the arguments in A Sudden Flicker of Light, David Thomson’s new book about how cinema has harmed society.
—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
3 July 2026
As the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy continues, into its fifth month, the FBI has reportedly debunked what was thought to be one of the case’s most promising leads.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
1 July 2026
Those reports were later debunked by a wedding planner involved, shifting attention to New York.
—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
On social media, native Algerians have seen their image of Americans debunked by continuous kind gestures during the impromptu cultural exchanges.
—
Pj Green,
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for debunk
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Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
3 July 2026
As the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy continues, into its fifth month, the FBI has reportedly debunked what was thought to be one of the case’s most promising leads.
—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
1 July 2026
Those reports were later debunked by a wedding planner involved, shifting attention to New York.
—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
On social media, native Algerians have seen their image of Americans debunked by continuous kind gestures during the impromptu cultural exchanges.
—
Pj Green,
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for debunk
Cite this Entry
“Debunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debunk. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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