debunk
verb
de·bunk
(ˌ)dē-ˈbəŋk 
debunked; debunking; debunks
: to expose the sham (see sham entry 1 sense 2) or falseness of
debunk a legend
debunker
noun
Did you know?
To debunk something is to take the bunk out of it—that bunk being “nonsense.” (Bunk is short for the synonymous bunkum, which has political origins.) Debunk has been in use since at least the 1920s, and it contrasts with synonyms like disprove and rebut by suggesting that something is not merely untrue but is also a sham—a trick meant to deceive. One can simply disprove a myth, but if it is debunked, the implication is that the myth was a grossly exaggerated or foolish claim.
Examples of debunk in a Sentence
The article debunks the notion that life exists on Mars.
The results of the study debunk his theory.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet longtime Democratic accusations that Republicans are a minority party that must bend rules to win Congress were debunked in 2024.
—
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
Orlando Sentinel Economists and scholars have written volumes debunking pie-in-the-sky economic-development claims about professional sports.
—Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2025
The soft-brain theory has been pretty thoroughly debunked, but scriptural notions have proved harder to dismiss.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
While this theory hasn’t been proven or debunked, the trend has blown up on social media, with the hashtag on TikTok resulting in 628,000 posts.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debunk
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
Orlando Sentinel Economists and scholars have written volumes debunking pie-in-the-sky economic-development claims about professional sports.
—Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2025
The soft-brain theory has been pretty thoroughly debunked, but scriptural notions have proved harder to dismiss.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
While this theory hasn’t been proven or debunked, the trend has blown up on social media, with the hashtag on TikTok resulting in 628,000 posts.
—Dominique Fluker, Essence, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debunk
Cite this Entry
“Debunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debunk. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share