confute

verb

con·​fute kən-ˈfyüt How to pronounce confute (audio)
confuted; confuting

transitive verb

1
: to overwhelm in argument : refute conclusively
Elijah … confuted the prophets of BaalG. B. Shaw
2
obsolete : confound
confuter noun

Examples of confute in a Sentence

theories which will eventually be confirmed or confuted by experience
Recent Examples on the Web In Tory Nation, Samuel Earle discusses and frets morosely over this success, which has confuted so many hopes and indeed confident predictions on the left. Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The New York Review of Books, 2 Mar. 2023 Vulnerable, uninformed wives have hardly been in a position to confute them. Justin Jones, Quartz India, 15 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin confutare to check, silence

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of confute was in 1529

Dictionary Entries Near confute

Cite this Entry

“Confute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confute. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

confute

verb
con·​fute kən-ˈfyüt How to pronounce confute (audio)
confuted; confuting
: to overwhelm in argument : refute
confutation
ˌkän-fyu̇-ˈtā-shən
noun

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