1
as in refuted
to prove to be false
a Web site that assiduously debunks urban legends
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in exposed
to reveal the true nature of
the investigative reporter easily debunked the charlatan's claims of clairvoyance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of debunked
Those reports were later debunked by a wedding planner involved, shifting attention to New York.
—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
Yet no branch of science has debunked the idea that humans are neglecting lots of opportunities for ingesting animals.
—
David Merritt Johns,
The Atlantic,
27 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
Such claims – though widely debunked – have long found support in communities on the margins of one of the world’s most unequal societies, where unemployment and poverty are rife.
—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
Christian Science Monitor,
26 June 2026
The bromide has been debunked, but there is power — and delight — in making coffee shop drinks at home.
—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
25 June 2026
Their wedding was initially speculated to be taking place in Rhode Island, though this was later debunked.
—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
25 June 2026
In a demonstration ahead of the product’s launch, NewsGuard COO Matt Skibinski showed how the chatbot debunked a piece of medical misinformation and guided the user to primary sources.
—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
That myth has been debunked numerous times, including as part of Fox News' 2023 $787 million settlement with voting machine company Dominion, but Berntsen, a former CIA operative, has been pushing it for years.
—
Miles Parks,
NPR,
16 June 2026
Bryan West,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
Yet no branch of science has debunked the idea that humans are neglecting lots of opportunities for ingesting animals.
—
David Merritt Johns,
The Atlantic,
27 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
Such claims – though widely debunked – have long found support in communities on the margins of one of the world’s most unequal societies, where unemployment and poverty are rife.
—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
Christian Science Monitor,
26 June 2026
The bromide has been debunked, but there is power — and delight — in making coffee shop drinks at home.
—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
25 June 2026
Their wedding was initially speculated to be taking place in Rhode Island, though this was later debunked.
—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
25 June 2026
In a demonstration ahead of the product’s launch, NewsGuard COO Matt Skibinski showed how the chatbot debunked a piece of medical misinformation and guided the user to primary sources.
—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
23 June 2026
That myth has been debunked numerous times, including as part of Fox News' 2023 $787 million settlement with voting machine company Dominion, but Berntsen, a former CIA operative, has been pushing it for years.
—
Miles Parks,
NPR,
16 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debunked
Verb
-
Wainger also refuted the assertion that Pennel had expected to be arrested.
-
Reports emerged earlier this year that Beatrice and Eugenie were not invited to Royal Ascot, only to be refuted by subsequent reports claiming that they were invited, after all.
Verb
-
Casemiro was able to coast through performances against poor Haiti and Scotland sides in two of Brazil’s group stage games, but Morocco provided much sterner opposition that exposed some worrying gaps in midfield.
-
Authorities stopped letting people into the National Museum of African American History and Culture, with more than 1,000 sheltering outside the building and some exposed to the elements.
Verb
-
No students or staff were in the building when the remains were uncovered, as school ended for the summer on Friday and the school was closed for construction, police said.
-
Before the latest search warrant uncovered the remains of the dead dogs, Miranda posted a statement to the rescue's website on June 18.
Cite this Entry
“Debunked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debunked. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
