• 2-minute read
• 27th January 2020

Word Choice: Refute, Rebut or Rebuke?

“Refute,” “rebut,” and “rebuke” all look similar on the page. In addition, they’re all verbs that describe things you might do to someone you disagree with.

It’s no surprise, then, that some people use these words interchangeably. In practice, though, they all have different meanings, as we will show below.

Refute (Disprove)

The word “refute” means “disprove”. As such, we might say:

The creationist argument is refuted by the fossil record.

Importantly, “refuting” something involves more than just disagreeing with it or arguing against it. You have to prove something is false to refute it.

Rebut (Argue Against)

A “rebuttal” is an argument against something. For example:

Reverend Green rebutted the scientist’s point by shouting about the Bible.

You don’t have to be correct to “rebut” something. This term applies to any counterargument, whether right or wrong. A rebuttal is only a refutation if it is successful, so “rebut” and “refute” are importantly distinct terms.

Rebuke (Tell Off)

“Rebuke” is distinct from the other words here as it means “tell off” or “reprimand.” Usually, it implies speaking angrily to someone because you disapprove of something they’ve done:

I rebuked my colleague for her insensitive comments.

As shown above, you might “rebuke” someone for making an unpleasant or silly argument. However, this isn’t the same as arguing against them or disproving their point, so this word is not directly relevant to arguments.

Summary: Refute, Rebut or Rebuke?

These words have specialized meanings, so it’s important not to mix them up:

• Refute refers to disproving an argument. You have to provide evidence and facts to successfully refute something.
• Rebut also refers to challenging an argument, but you don’t have to be correct or provide any evidence for a rebuttal.
• Rebuke means to tell off someone for doing something you disagree with.

The trickiest are “refute” and “rebut,” since both are used in arguments. The key is that “refute” is stronger, meaning “disprove.” If you simply argue against something but don’t disprove it, “rebut” will be the correct term.

“Rebuke,” meanwhile, means “reprimand” or “tell off.” And if you’re having any other spelling or vocabulary issues, our proofreaders would love to help!