What does repudiable mean?
Repudiable means capable of being rejected, discredited, or treated as false or unworthy of trust. The word is especially used for evidence, assertions, arguments, explanations, and reputations whose validity can be challenged. It has a formal, slightly legalistic tone and suggests more than simply being doubtful: a repudiable matter may be repudiated, meaning rejected, denied, or stripped of credibility. In a report, for example, calling testimony repudiable indicates that its reliability is seriously questionable. The adjective is related to the verb repudiate and the noun repudiation, both of which express rejection or renunciation. Repudiable is not synonymous with refutable in every context: refutable focuses specifically on claims that can be disproved, while repudiable can describe anything liable to broad rejection or discredit.
adjectiveCapable of being repudiated or rejected as false, invalid, or unworthy of trust. It describes a claim, argument, reputation, or other matter that may be discredited.
- Capable of being repudiated; liable to be rejected, discredited, or regarded as false or unworthy of trust.
"The committee concluded that the evidence was too repudiable to support the allegations."
"The witness gave a repudiable explanation for the discrepancies in the records."
"Because the account rested on repudiable assertions, the court declined to rely on it."
Repudiable is a word for claims and reputations that may be dismissed, rejected, or discredited.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does repudiable come from?
The word comes from Latin repudiare, meaning to reject or disown, with the suffix -able added to form an adjective meaning “liable to being repudiated.” The Latin root repudium referred to rejection or divorce and is reflected in English forms such as repudiate and repudiation. The adjective entered English usage in the 19th century in legal and argumentative contexts.
Related word forms
How repudiable is actually used
This is a formal and relatively uncommon adjective, especially associated with legal, academic, and rhetorical contexts. It is more often used to describe evidence, claims, arguments, or reputations than physical objects.
Easily confused with repudiable
Repudiable describes something that may be rejected or discredited, whereas refutable specifically describes an argument or claim that can be disproved by evidence.