English Reference
Noun

rebuttal

n. countable
C1 Advanced US /ɹiˈbətəɫ/ UK /ɹɪbˈʌtəl/ re·but·tal UK spelling rebuttals Law

n.a statement or speech that explains why someone else's argument is wrong. You use it to defend your ideas by showing the mistakes in the other person's logic.

n.the act of refuting or contradicting an argument by offering contrary evidence or reasoning. Often used in formal debate or legal proceedings to address specific points raised by an opponent.


SIMPLE

She prepared a strong rebuttal to his claims.

CONTEXTUAL

The lawyer's rebuttal focused on the inconsistencies in the witness's timeline of events.

COMPLEX

The scientist published a detailed rebuttal in the journal, systematically dismantling the flawed methodology used in the previous study's data collection.

Usage

Commonly paired with the verb 'to offer' or 'to provide'; often takes the preposition 'to' when identifying the target argument.

If you don’t do something about it, you’re going to have taco trucks on every corner,” he added, triggering a tidal wave of memes and a rebuttal from Hillary Clinton.

The Guardian· 21 Aug 2026

From rebut + -al.

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

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated