Dictionary

impugn en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ɪmˈpjuːn/

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French impugner, from Latin impugnō, from im- + pugnō (“fight”), from pugnus (“fist”), as in English pugilism (“fighting with fists, boxing”).

Meanings

1. (obsolete, transitive) To assault, attack.
2. (transitive) To verbally assault, especially to argue against an opinion, motive, or action; to question the truth or validity of; cast doubt on.
   • [The fact] that Americans’ trust in government is at historic lows […] makes it easier for politicians to impugn the system – courts, parties, and institutions. 2023 March 13, Mark Sappenfield, “Governing wisely”, in The Christian Science Monitor:
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:impugn.

Forms

Antonyms

endorse · support · authenticate

Deriveds

impugnment · impugnable · impugner · unimpugned · impugnation

Synonyms

dispute · question · oppugn · deny · challenge · contradict · call into question · contest · negate · disavow

Translations (39)

de bestreiten (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · fr contredire (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · ru оспаривать (question the validity of) · de in Zweifel ziehen (question the validity of) · de anfechten (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · cs napadnout (To assault, attack) · uk оспорювати (question the validity of) · grc ὄνομαι (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · nl bestrijden (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · es arremeter (To assault, attack) · fr attaquer (To assault, attack) · uk ставити під сумнів (question the validity of) · sv ifrågasätta (question the validity of) · fi kiistää (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · sv bestrida (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · sv ifrågasätta (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · cs zpochybnit (question the validity of) · cs zpochybňovat (question the validity of) · nl weerspreken (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · fi kyseenalaistaa (question the validity of) · de bestreiten (question the validity of) · de anfechten (question the validity of) · es vilipendiar (To assault, attack) · nl betwisten (question the validity of) · es impugnar (question the validity of) · nl aanvallen (To assault, attack) · de widersprechen (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · fr contester (question the validity of) · bg опровергавам (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · ru подвергать сомнению (question the validity of) · de infrage stellen (question the validity of) · bg оспорвам (question the validity of) · de angreifen (question the validity of) · sv angripa (To assault, attack) · sv jäva (question the validity of) · fi kyseenalaistaa (A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action) · sv attackera (To assault, attack) · de angreifen (To assault, attack) · gl impugnar (question the validity of)