View synonyms for confute

confute

[ kuhn-fyoot ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

, con·fut·ed, con·fut·ing.

to prove to be false, invalid, or defective; disprove:
to confute an argument.
to prove (a person) to be wrong by argument or proof:
to confute one's opponent.
Obsolete. to bring to naught; confound.

confute

/ ˌkɒnfjʊˈteɪʃən; kənˈfjuːt /

Origin of confute¹

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

Origin of confute¹

C16: from Latin confūtāre to check, silence

He recites several passages from the Fathers on this subject, by which he pretends to confute the first reformers.

He enumerated the objections which had been made, and the industry with which he had endeavoured to confute them.

I had not relied upon time, or the suggestion of his cooler thoughts, to confute his charges.

Having enunciated this definition, as one learnt from another person not named, Sokrates proceeds to examine and confute it.

To confute intuitionists and get rid of intuitions was one main purpose of all Mill's speculations.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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