Repudiate
Politicians love this verb for the moment they need to sound definitive while walking away from an old ally.
Learn This WordMeaning
To refuse to accept or be associated with; to deny the truth or validity of.
Memory trick
RE-PUDIATE: push (re-) away a spouse or idea, reject it formally.
Examples
The candidate repudiated the extremist remarks attributed to her campaign.
He repudiated the contract, claiming it was signed under duress.
Scholars repudiated the theory after new evidence emerged.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From Latin repudiare "to divorce, reject," from repudium "rejection, divorce."
Usage Notes
Formal and strong, common in politics, law, and philosophy.
Real-life contexts
Use in PR: "We repudiate violence in all forms."
Use in debate: "I repudiate that interpretation of the data."
Use carefully: "Repudiate" sounds legal, match the context.
Common Mistakes
Repudiate is stronger than "disagree." It implies rejection or disavowal.
Master This Word
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Start LearningQuick Facts
Part of Speech
verb
Difficulty
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