To debunk something is to take the bunk out of it—that bunk being “nonsense.” (Bunk is short for the synonymous bunkum, which has political origins.) Debunk has been in use since at least the 1920s, and it contrasts with synonyms like disprove and rebut by suggesting that something is not merely untrue but is also a sham—a trick meant to deceive. One can simply disprove a myth, but if it is debunked, the implication is that the myth was a grossly exaggerated or foolish claim.
The article debunks the notion that life exists on Mars. The results of the study debunk his theory.
Recent Examples on the WebCommunication campaigns can debunk false information spread cross social media. Cristian Gherasim, CNN, 24 Aug. 2022 How does a new Cleveland crime report debunk the narrative Courtney? Staff Reports, cleveland, 12 Aug. 2022 Their mission is to debunk or validate alleged miracles, demonic possessions and other unexplained phenomena. John Blake, CNN, 14 Aug. 2022 Despite a small percentage of TiO2 present in the product, low toxicity risk and an unsupported cause-and-effect example are both factors that led me to debunk this claim. Dr. Michael Daignault, USA TODAY, 12 Aug. 2022 The simplest way to debunk this Endgame plot hole is to look at the timeline and remember that these superheroes and villains do not know every single detail of the universe. Chris Smith, BGR, 9 Aug. 2022 The Best Small & Medium Workplaces debunk myths about small and medium companies being overwhelmingly outclassed by bigger organizations.Fortune, 8 Aug. 2022 To bring clarity to the tumultuous stories floating around on the internet, Founder and CEO, Rachel Roff, wants to debunk some of the myths behind the Urban Skin Rx brand and wants to bring clarity to what the brand is all about. Essence Staff, Essence, 8 Aug. 2022 The White House is working hard to pre-debunk the idea that a negative growth number will mean the U.S. is in recession. Gerard Baker, WSJ, 25 July 2022 See More