disprove

[dis-proov] /dɪsˈpruv/

verb (used with object), disproved, disproving.

to prove (an assertion, claim, etc.) to be false or wrong; refute; invalidate:

I disproved his claim.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French desprover, equivalent to des- -dis-¹ + prover to prove

Related forms

disprovable, adjective

disprover, noun

undisprovable, adjective

undisproved, adjective

Can be confused

deny, disapprove, disprove, rebut, refute (see synonym study at deny)

Synonyms

discredit, contradict, negate, confute.

Examples from the web for disprove

He was now in a position to prove or disprove the charge.
There is nothing you can prove or disprove because you have the information.
Popular acceptance, or the lack thereof, does not prove or disprove an artist's worth.
While it would prove academic misconduct it would not disprove climate change.
When legal teams need to prove or disprove the authorship of key texts, they call in the forensic linguists.
Evidence can disprove a theory, but it cannot prove it.
To date, research has not been able to prove or disprove claims that organic food is safer than food grown using pesticides.
There is no way to prove or disprove this connection between vaccines and autism.
But science requires that you try to imagine the possibilities then explore those do prove or disprove them.
Give them the benefit of the doubt and let them prove or disprove their findings.

British Dictionary definitions for disprove

/dɪsˈpruːv/

verb

(transitive) to show (an assertion, claim, etc) to be incorrect

Derived Forms

disprovable, adjective
disproval, noun

Word Origin and History for disprove

late 14c., from Old French desprover "refute, contradict," from des- (see dis-) + prover (see prove). Related: Disproved; disproving.