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Doubt vs Refute - What's the difference?

doubt | refute |

As verbs the difference between doubt and refute

is that doubt is to lack confidence in; to disbelieve, question, or suspect while refute is to prove (something) to be false or incorrect.

As a noun doubt

is uncertainty, disbelief.

doubt

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete)

Noun

(wikipedia doubt)
  • Uncertainty, disbelief.
  • *
  • It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street.. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To lack confidence in; to disbelieve, question, or suspect.
  • He doubted that was really what you meant.
  • * Hooker
  • Even in matters divine, concerning some things, we may lawfully doubt
  • * Dryden
  • To try your love and make you doubt of mine.
  • (archaic) To fear; to suspect.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I.186:
  • He fled, like Joseph, leaving it; but there, / I doubt , all likeness ends between the pair.
  • (obsolete) To fear; to be apprehensive of.
  • * R. of Gloucester
  • Edmond [was a] good man and doubted God.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I doubt some foul play.
  • * Spenser
  • I of doubted danger had no fear.
  • (obsolete) To fill with fear; to affright.
  • *
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
  • The virtues of the valiant Caratach / More doubt me than all Britain.

    refute

    English

    Verb

    (refut)
  • To prove (something) to be false or incorrect.
  • *
  • To deny the truth or correctness of (something).
  • *
  • Usage notes

    The second meaning of (refute) (to deny the truth of) is proscribed as erroneous by some (compare Merriam Webster,1994). An alternative term with such a meaning is (repudiate), which means to reject or refuse to acknowledge, but without the implication of justification. However, this distinction does not exist in the original Latin , which can apply to both senses.

    Synonyms

    * : debunk, disprove, rebut * (deny the truth or correctness): deny, gainsay, rebut, reject, repudiate

    Antonyms

    * : demonstrate, prove * (deny the truth or correctness): accept, embrace