repudiate

/rɪˈpjuːdieɪt/ formal

Say it: ri-PYOO-dee-ayt

1. verb To refuse to accept, support, or be associated with something; to disown.
The senator was forced to repudiate the controversial statements made by his aide.
2. verb To refuse to fulfill or pay a debt, obligation, or agreement.
After the revolution, the new government attempted to repudiate the nation's foreign debt.
3. verb To deny the truth or validity of something.
He published a lengthy article to repudiate the accusations of plagiarism.

📖 Seen in the wild

The candidate was quick to repudiate the controversial statements made by his campaign manager.
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✏️ repudiate in a sentence

The company issued a press release to repudiate the rumors of its imminent bankruptcy.
She had to repudiate her own earlier research when new evidence came to light.
As a pacifist, he would always repudiate violence as a means of solving conflict.
The defendant stood in court to repudiate any connection to the crime.
It is a leader's duty to repudiate extremism in all its forms.
The treaty was repudiated by the new administration as soon as it took office.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

reject renounce disown disavow recant forswear abjure deny

reject · is more general and less formal; it lacks the force of a public disavowal.

renounce · often implies a formal and public act of giving up a belief, title, or claim.

disown · suggests cutting all ties with something or someone you were previously connected to.

disavow · means to specifically deny responsibility or support for something.

Opposites: accept, embrace, acknowledge, affirm, endorse

🌱 Where it comes from

The word comes from the Latin 'repudiare', meaning 'to cast off' or 'divorce', from 'repudium' (divorce). Its original English sense in the 16th century was specifically about divorcing or casting off a spouse. Over time, its meaning broadened to casting off or rejecting anything one wants to disown.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

repudiate a claimrepudiate a debtrepudiate an accusationpublicly repudiatecategorically repudiate

Repudiate is a strong, formal verb that signals a definitive and often forceful rejection. Use it in place of 'reject' or 'deny' when you want to emphasize a complete and official disavowal, particularly in political, legal, or academic contexts. Because of its strength, it can sound overly dramatic in casual conversation.

Word family: repudiation, repudiator

💬 Quick answers

What does repudiate mean in simple terms?

It means to strongly and formally reject or refuse to accept something, such as a claim, a debt, or a belief.

What is the difference between repudiate and reject?

Repudiate is much stronger and more formal than reject. It often implies a public and final disavowal of something you might have been connected with.

Is repudiate a formal word?

Yes, repudiate is a formal word. It is most often used in official, legal, political, or academic contexts rather than in casual conversation.

Can you repudiate a person?

While you can, it is a very strong and formal way of saying you are disowning them. It is more common to repudiate a person's actions, statements, or beliefs.

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