confute

[ kuhn-fyoot ]
See synonyms for confute on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),con·fut·ed, con·fut·ing.
  1. to prove to be false, invalid, or defective; disprove: to confute an argument.

  2. to prove (a person) to be wrong by argument or proof: to confute one's opponent.

  1. Obsolete. to bring to naught; confound.

Origin of confute

1
1520–30; <Latin confūtāre to abash, silence, refute, equivalent to con-con- + -fūtāre;cf. refute

Other words from confute

  • con·fut·a·ble, adjective
  • con·fut·er, noun
  • un·con·fut·a·ble, adjective
  • un·con·fut·ed, adjective
  • un·con·fut·ing, adjective

Words Nearby confute

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use confute in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for confute

confute

/ (kənˈfjuːt) /


verb(tr)
  1. to prove (a person or thing) wrong, invalid, or mistaken; disprove

  2. obsolete to put an end to

Origin of confute

1
C16: from Latin confūtāre to check, silence

Derived forms of confute

  • confutable, adjective
  • confutation (ˌkɒnfjʊˈteɪʃən), noun
  • confutative, adjective
  • confuter, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012