English Reference

Word

irrefutable

Phoneticsir·refutable

US/ˌɪɹəfˈjutəbəɫ/

UK/ɪɹɪfjˈuːtəbəl/

Definition

adj. describing something that is so clear or strong that you cannot argue against it. You use this when a fact or proof is impossible to deny.

adj. impossible to deny or disprove; providing a level of evidence that leaves no room for doubt. Often used in legal, scientific, or logical contexts to describe absolute proof.

Examples

“The DNA evidence was irrefutable and led to a conviction.”

“The witness provided an irrefutable timeline of events that contradicted the suspect's story.”

“While the initial data was promising, the researchers needed to find an irrefutable link between the two variables before they could publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal.”

Examples

simple

“The DNA evidence was irrefutable and led to a conviction.”

contextual

“The witness provided an irrefutable timeline of events that contradicted the suspect's story.”

complex

“While the initial data was promising, the researchers needed to find an irrefutable link between the two variables before they could publish their findings in a peer-reviewed journal.”

Real-World Examples

“City strongly denied all charges and have said their case is supported by a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence".”
BBC News · 25 Sept 2026

Etymology

From Late Latin irrefūtābilis, from ir- (“not”) + refūtābilis (“refutable”), from refūtō (“to refute”) + -bilis (“-able”), equivalent to ir- + refutable.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference