debunk
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- debunker noun
Etymology
Origin of debunk
Explanation
When you debunk something you show it to be false. Many magicians, including Houdini and Penn and Teller, have worked to debunk the idea that magic is anything other than a very clever illusion. To debunk something is to prove it wrong. The idea that music education is frivolous and should be the first item cut from the budget is something that music teachers work hard to debunk — in fact, they've done it by proving that students perform better in schools with strong music programs. The verb debunk was first used by an American writer, William Woodward, in 1923, to mean "take the bunk out of something." Bunk means "nonsense."
Vocabulary lists containing debunk
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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Vocabulary from the Third and Final Presidential Debate, October 19, 2016
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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.
The trail of damage from Patterson’s pet project includes money fights, family estrangement and bitter fallouts as friends turned on each other amid efforts to debunk or defend the footage over the years.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
In the age of AI, authentic high-resolution satellite imagery collected in real time can give decision-makers vital clues to assess security threats and debunk falsehoods from unverified sources.
From Barron's • Mar. 9, 2026
His memo was so thick with lies that it would take a week to debunk them all.
From Salon • Oct. 22, 2025
The trouble chatbots sometimes have with the truth is a growing concern as more people are using them to find information, ask questions about current events and help debunk misinformation.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 11, 2025
Many people use science to debunk religion, but Reverend Scheffler enlisted science to bolster his beliefs.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
