debunk
Say it: dee-BUNK /diːˈbʌŋk/ · verb
What “debunk” means
Show that a claim or popular belief is false or exaggerated.
More precisely: To expose a claim, belief or myth as false or exaggerated.
Example: “The video debunks the idea that you burn more fat on an empty stomach.”
When to use it
In everyday or investigative writing, when evidence exposes a misleading claim, rumour or widely believed myth.
Memory trick
'Bunk' means nonsense: debunking strips the nonsense from a claim.
Similar words
disprove, expose, refute
Where it comes from
From de- + bunk, short for 'bunkum', meaning empty talk.
Quick check
You test a supposedly waterproof bag, find everything inside soaked and show the results publicly. What do you do?
dispute or debunk?
Show the answer
debunk
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