Refute vs Affirm - What's the difference?
refute | affirm |
To prove (something) to be false or incorrect.
*
To deny the truth or correctness of (something).
*
To agree, verify or concur; to answer positively.
To assert positively; to tell with confidence; to aver; to maintain as true.
* Bible, Acts xxv. 19
To support or encourage.
To make firm; to confirm, or ratify; especially (legal) to assert or confirm, as a judgment, decree, or order, brought before an appelate court for review.
As verbs the difference between refute and affirm
is that refute is to prove (something) to be false or incorrect while affirm is to agree, verify or concur; to answer positively.refute
English
Verb
(refut)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, repudiateAntonyms
* : demonstrate, prove * (deny the truth or correctness): accept, embraceaffirm
English
Verb
- She affirmed that she would go when I asked her.
- Jesus, whom Paul affirmed to be alive
- They did everything they could to affirm the children's self-confidence.