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The -but in rebut once meant basically "butt", so rebut's original meanings were "to drive or beat back" and "to attack with violent language". Rebuttals can still be rather violent, as anyone who has watched some heated moments in a presidential debate can testify. The word is often used by lawyers, since the lawyer for the accused or for the party being sued almost always tries to rebut the charges against his or her client; but it's also used in plenty of contexts outside the courtroom.
Synonyms
Examples of rebut in a Sentence
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Jan. 2025
The loss of the tape recording precluded the defense from presenting the only evidence which could conclusively rebut J.B.’s effort to bolster her own credibility.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024
Holmes’ office rebutted that with a Nov. 5, 2018, memo from Charles Perusse, Cooper’s state budget director, transferring the responsibility directly to the department.
—Alan Wooten | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 Dec. 2024
In this war of narratives, the Trump administration must do more to support free media, rebut disinformation, and encourage credible proxies in the region to do the same.
—Michael Green, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for rebut 
Dictionary Entries Near rebut
Cite this Entry
“Rebut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebut. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rebut
verb
Legal Definition
rebut
transitive verb
Anglo-French reboter, rebuter to answer a charge, bar from an action, literally, to repulse, rebuff, from Old French reboter, from re- back + boter to push, butt
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