debunk

de- +‎ bunk (from bunkum, from Buncombe County) 1923

• (UK) IPA^(key): /diːˈbʌŋk/, /diːˈbʊŋk/
• (US) enPR: dĭ-bŭngkʹ, dē-bŭngkʹ, IPA^(key): /dɪˈbʌŋk/, /ˌdiːˈbʌŋk/

• Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -ʌŋk

debunk (third-person singular simple present debunks, present participle debunking, simple past and past participle debunked)

1. (transitive) To discredit, or expose to ridicule the falsehood or the exaggerated claims of something.

   The explosion story was thoroughly debunked on National Public Radio in November 1999.

   debunk a theory

   • 2024 January 10, Christian Wolmar, “A time for change? ... just as it was back in issue 262”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 61:

     Another of my favourite themes has been debunking promises of new technology. Over the years, I have enjoyed watching the lack of progress on driverless cars, drone deliveries, hyperloop, and maglev.

• debunkable
• debunker
• prebunking

debunk (plural debunks)

1. (informal) A debunking; the act by which something is debunked.

• bunked