Definition of REPUDIATED (original) (raw)
1
a
: to refuse to accept
especially : to reject as unauthorized or as having no binding force
b
: to reject as untrue or unjust
3
: to refuse to have anything to do with : disown
… unless they repudiated the failed policies of the past and took decisive action, the party might fracture or lose its hold on the electorate.—
Walter A. McDougall
4
dated : to divorce or separate formally from (a woman to whom one is betrothed or married)
"The incident was witnessed by … the Marquess Zanipolo, who, in consequence, has already repudiated his unhappy bride."—Edith Wharton
Did you know?
In Latin, the noun repudium refers to the rejection of a spouse or prospective spouse, and the related verb repudiare means "to divorce" or "to reject." In the 16th century, English speakers borrowed repudiare to create the English verb repudiate, which they used as a synonym of divorce when in reference to a wife and as a synonym of disown when in reference to a member of one's family. They also used the word more generally in the sense of "to reject or cast off." By the 18th century repudiate had also come to be used for the rejection of things that one does not accept as true or just, ranging from opinions and accusations to contracts and debts.
Synonyms
Choose the Right Synonym for repudiate
declined his party's nomination
refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.
refused to lend them the money
reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.
rejected the manuscript as unpublishable
repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.
teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents
spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.
spurned his overtures of friendship
Examples of repudiate in a Sentence
During the Algerian war of independence, the United States had also repudiated France's claimed right to attack a town in neighboring Tunisia that succored Algerian guerrillas … —Christopher Hitchens, Harper's, February 2001 When witnessing abuse, boys will identify with the seemingly powerful father who appears to be a "winner" and will repudiate the mother, who seems to be the "loser." —Constance Adler, Shape, September 1993 While a wife could divorce her husband only for good reason … a husband could repudiate his wife without giving any reason … —Albert Hourani, A History of the Arab Peoples, 1991 Voters in Myanmar … appeared today to have sharply repudiated their military rulers and to have given a landslide victory to the main opposition party … —Steven Erlanger, New York Times, 29 May 1990 Photographs, the most ubiquitous emblem of mass culture, found an obvious place in Pop Art, and were embraced by those intent on repudiating the preciosity of action painting. —Naomi Rosenblum, A World History of Photography, 1989 Three weeks after the agreement was made and before any specifications were submitted, the buyer repudiated the agreement. —John D. Calamari and Joseph M. Perillo, The Law of Contracts, 1987
a generation that has repudiated the values of the past He has publicly repudiated the government's policies. He published an article that repudiates the study's claims. She says she has evidence which repudiates the allegations.
Recent Examples on the Web It was later estimated that more than 570,000 sought deferments through deception — the draft dodgers — or openly repudiated the draft — the resisters. —Doug Smith, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2024 But developing countries did repudiate many of their most protectionist policies, and Western countries, in turn, kept their markets open to allow developing countries to take advantage of export opportunities. —Dev Patel, Foreign Affairs, 12 June 2024 These are not claims that should be honored with serious responses, but treated as ridiculous by other political leaders and voters themselves, who must so roundly repudiate these candidates that their claims seem even more like the last resort of political losers. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 10 June 2024 There is a related anxiety, in literary and art criticism in particular, having to do with the reintroduction of considerations of aesthetic quality, which have been largely repudiated over the past few decades. —Laurent Dubreuil, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for repudiate 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'repudiate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Latin repudiatus, past participle of repudiare, from repudium rejection of a prospective spouse, divorce, probably from re- + pudēre to shame
First Known Use
1545, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Time Traveler
The first known use of repudiate was in 1545
Dictionary Entries Near repudiate
Cite this Entry
“Repudiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repudiate. Accessed 3 Jul. 2024.
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Last Updated: 25 Jun 2024 - Updated example sentences
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