Make Your Point: IRREFUTABLE

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pronounce IRREFUTABLE:

ear REF you tuh bull

connect this word to others:

Let's add irrefutable to our list of fancy, five-syllable, Latin-derived, privative-prefixed adjectives that are, irrefutably, extremely fun to say:

1. Unim_____able things and people (like Atticus Finch) are so good, so innocent, or so perfect that it's impossible to accuse them of flaws, weaknesses, mistakes, or crimes.

2. Un___atable things (like cold French fries) aren't good, and they aren't even okay: they're unpleasant or offensive to your sense of taste.

3. In___lable things (like promises to your mother) are so sacred, and so deserving of respect, that they should never be broken or dishonored.

If I've omitted your favorite fancy, five-syllable, Latin-derived, privative-prefixed adjective, then please message me and I'll add it to this list on the archives page!

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

The word "refute" has Latin bits that mean "to beat back." To refute something is to claim that it's wrong. For example, if rumor has it that you were chomping gum and blowing bubbles at a funeral, then you'd try to refute that rumor.

But if someone caught you on video, then the rumor is irrefutable: you can't refute it, because there's irrefutable proof that it's true. Something irrefutable is so clear or so true that no one can claim that it's wrong.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Adjective: "They have irrefutable proof;" "Their argument is irrefutable."

Other forms:

Irrefutably, irrefutability;
refute, refuted, refuting;
refutation(s);
refutable, refutability;
refutative/refutatory.

how to use it:

Pick the formal, serious, semi-common word "irrefutable" when you need to place strong emphasis on the truth or strength of some fact or claim.

You might talk about irrefutable facts, claims, proof, evidence, arguments, analyses, conclusions, etc.

examples:

"[They] were against him. They didn't want him to prosper... Now that he knew what to look for, he saw irrefutable signs of this plot everywhere."
— Osha Gray Davidson, The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South, 1996

"Here was irrefutable proof that Nixon had personally orchestrated the cover-up."
— Steve Sheinkin, Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War, 2015

has this page helped you understand "irrefutable"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "irrefutable" without saying "beyond question" or "no ifs, ands, or buts about it."

try it out:

Fill in the blank: "It's irrefutable that (something is true, or something happened)."

Or: "_____ is an irrefutable truth."

Example 1: "It's irrefutable that the earth is heating up."

Example 2: "Both of these beliefs ignore an irrefutable historical truth. The framers and adopters of the Second Amendment were generally ardent supporters of the idea of well-regulated liberty. Without strong governments and effective laws, they believed, liberty inevitably degenerated into licentiousness and eventually anarchy."
— Saul Cornell, The Conversation, 15 October 2017

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for this month is Palindromes in Poems: Yay!

Check out the snippet of a poem, and supply the missing palindrome: the word spelled the same backward and forward, like "yay," "sees," or "racecar." Highlight the hints if you need them, and see the answer by scrolling all the way down. Enjoy!

Try this one today:
"Here under the roots of this northern-spy
To move in the chemic change and circle of life,
Into the soil and into the flesh of the tree,
And into the living epitaphs
Of _____ apples!"
— Edgar Lee Masters, "Conrad Siever," 1915

To reveal the hints below, highlight the hidden white text.

Hint 1: The number of letters in this palindrome is... six.
Hint 2: The letter that this palindrome starts and ends with is... "R."

review this word:

1. The precise opposite of IRREFUTABLE is REFUTABLE. But a pretty close opposite of IRREFUTABLE is

A. DEBATABLE.
B. CALCULABLE.
C. PREDICTABLE.

2. In Salon, Melanie McFarland wrote, "The Jerry Springer Show became a controversy magnet. Springer and its producers were accused of staging its dramas, which they denied. Their encouragement of the show's fights is irrefutable, _____."

A. with Springer standing nearby, quietly shaking in his head in feigned dismay
B. evidenced in the boxing ring 'ding!' that would peal whenever one guest would hurtle toward another
C. establishing Springer as the anti-Oprah by making people feel better about their lives by cynical comparison

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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Make Your Point > Archived Issues > IRREFUTABLE

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