impugn

I1M3P3U1G2N1
/ɪmˈpjuːn/

verb

To assault, attack.

“For quotations using this term, see Citations:impugn.”

Similar
call into questionchallengecontestcontradictdenydisavowdisputeoppugn
Opposite
authenticateendorsesupport
OriginMiddle French impugner ← Latin impugnō →
UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

verbimpugn (third-person singular simple present impugns, present participle impugning, simple past and past participle impugned)

present singular third person impugns · participle present impugning · participle past impugned · past impugned

  1. obsoletetransitiveTo assault, attack.
  2. transitiveTo verbally assault, especially to argue against an opinion, motive, or action; to question the truth or validity of; cast doubt on.

    For quotations using this term, see Citations:impugn.

    1 more example

    [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

    Synonyms: call into question, challenge, contest, contradict, deny, disavow, dispute, oppugn · Antonyms: authenticate, endorse, support

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo verbally assault, especially to argue against an opinion, motive, or action; to question the truth or validity of; cast doubt on.

Similar
call into questionchallengecontestcontradictdenydisavowdisputeoppugnnegatequestion
Opposite
authenticateendorsesupport
Also see
attackdisavow

Origin

  1. Latinimpugnō
  2. Middle Frenchimpugner
  3. Englishimpugn

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

More words from Middle French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ὄνομαι
  • ὄνομαι (ónomai)A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
Bulgarian опровергавам, оспорвам
  • опровергавам (oprovergavam)A rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • оспорвам (osporvam)question the validity of
Czech napadnout, zpochybňovat
  • napadnoutTo assault, attack
  • zpochybňovatquestion the validity of
  • zpochybnitquestion the validity of
Dutch aanvallen, bestrijden
  • aanvallenTo assault, attack
  • bestrijdenA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • weersprekenA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • betwistenquestion the validity of
Finnish kyseenalaistaa, kiistää
  • kyseenalaistaaA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • kiistääA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • kyseenalaistaaquestion the validity of
French attaquer, contredire
  • attaquerTo assault, attack
  • contredireA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • contesterquestion the validity of
German angreifen, widersprechen
  • angreifenTo assault, attack
  • widersprechenA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • bestreitenA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • anfechtenA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • angreifenquestion the validity of
  • in Zweifel ziehenquestion the validity of
  • bestreitenquestion the validity of
  • infrage stellenquestion the validity of
  • anfechtenquestion the validity of
Russian оспаривать, подвергать сомнению
  • оспаривать (osparivatʹ)question the validity of
  • подвергать сомнению (podvergatʹ somneniju)question the validity of
Spanish arremeter, vilipendiar
  • arremeterTo assault, attack
  • vilipendiarTo assault, attack
  • impugnarquestion the validity of
Swedish attackera, angripa
  • attackeraTo assault, attack
  • angripaTo assault, attack
  • bestridaA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • ifrågasättaA rejoinder using a false equivalence; to imply using a disingenuous argument while arguing against an opinion, motive, or action
  • ifrågasättaquestion the validity of
  • jävaquestion the validity of
Ukrainian оспорювати, ставити під сумнів
  • оспорювати (osporjuvaty)question the validity of
  • ставити під сумнів (stavyty pid sumniv)question the validity of

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with impugn

junesoonmooncartoonafternoontunenoontribuneimmuneballoonCameroonspoonsaloonlagoontoontycoondunenuntyphoonboonmonsoonplatooncocoonrune
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

impune

Anagrams

Muping
Cite this entry
APA

impugn. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/impugn

MLA

“impugn.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/impugn. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “impugn,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/impugn.

Source: impugn on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.