impugn
Americanverb (used with object)
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impugns,
present (3rd person singular)
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impugned,
past participle, past
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impugning
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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impugnabilitynoun
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impugnationnoun
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impugnernoun
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impugnmentnoun
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impugnableadjective
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unimpugnableadjective
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unimpugnedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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impugnsimple
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impugnssimple
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have impugnedperfect
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has impugnedperfect
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am impugningprogressive
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are impugningprogressive
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is impugningprogressive
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have been impugningperfect progressive
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has been impugningperfect progressive
Past
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impugnedsimple
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had impugnedperfect
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was impugningprogressive
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were impugningprogressive
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had been impugningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of impugn
1325–75; Middle English impugnen < Middle French impugner < Latin impugnāre to attack, equivalent to im- im- 1 + pugnāre to fight, derivative of pugnus fist; see pugnacious
Explanation
To impugn means to call into question or attack as wrong. If your usually grumpy brother is suddenly nice and sweet, you'll impugn his motives if you're smart — he probably just wants something from you. The root of impugn is the Latin pugnare which means "to fight," so when you impugn, you are fighting or attacking, but by saying that something is false or wrong. If a candidate has a record that cannot be impugned, his or her opponent might go for a character attack. If you take pride in your work, you will be especially insulted if someone impugns your professionalism or integrity.
Vocabulary lists containing impugn
Hidden Figures
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First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong
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The Merchant of Venice
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"These are grave assertions that directly impugn the claimants' personal integrity, character, and professional reputation", Lim said, adding that this was a factor in the awarding of the damages.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
In the latter, he said he did not impugn the jurors — who were not present — but was advising the just-acquitted defendant to stay out of trouble.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
Ms. Nuzzi will not dignify efforts to impugn her character with any future response,” Nuzzi’s lawyer Ari Wilkenfeld said in a statement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025
Not to impugn the integrity of anyone’s former travel agent, but that agent was probably less concerned than Google Flights with showing you the lowest possible price to get where you were heading.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2025
But none ever dared to impugn the correctness of her conduct.
From The Life and Letters of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Volume II (of 2) by Florence A. Thomas Marshall
The rules of evidence are supposed to prohibit the presentation of “character evidence” — information that simply impugns a defendant or reveals past wrongs — to avoid biasing jurors.
From New York Times ● Mar. 30, 2022
We’ve learned a lot about women’s rights and the suffrage movement, and do we hear men saying that it shouldn’t be taught because it impugns men?
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 3, 2022
“For people to say we’re somehow manipulating the system — I do take offense, because that impugns my integrity as a system operator.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2020
He also said it “tacitly impugns the integrity” of judges to suggest that they could not meet performance standards.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2018
In these he impugns the honor of a distinguished contemporary, charging him with gross and impudent piracy of the results of another's labors.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 18, No. 108, October, 1866 by Various
Humphrey, the Court said a prisoner named Roy Heck couldn’t seek monetary damages for what he claimed was an unconstitutional manslaughter conviction, without first getting it overturned or impugned in some way.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026
“It would seem that because not only their reputations are being impugned, but they are central to this case—it would seem that an interview of these two prosecutors would be central.”
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2024
Federal and state prosecutors have dropped or dismissed dozens of cases that relied on the impugned officers and the city now faces a federal civil rights lawsuit over the text messages.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2023
Over the weekend, the committee said his "kangaroo court" comments had impugned the integrity of Parliament.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2023
People tend to get defensive when the integrity of their national sport is impugned.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
Such was the outcry that Ms. Oudéa-Castéra was obliged to apologize for impugning the performance of teachers.
From New York Times ● Jan. 16, 2024
She said plaintiffs could potentially go after companies for faulty or negligent designs that result in algorithms putting out damaging information, impugning reputation.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 13, 2023
It sometimes seems as if the participants in the debate are more concerned with impugning each others’ motives than addressing the genuine issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2022
He suggested that Mr Johnson's behaviour was "impugning the reputations of Conservative MPs".
From BBC ● Jan. 11, 2022
American government officials, the press, and the public expressed their disappointment with the delays, many impugning the agency’s judgment and competence.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
