impugn - Wiktionary, the free dictionary
English
Verb
impugn (third-person singular simple present impugns, present participle impugning, simple past and past participle impugned)
- (transitive, obsolete) To assault, attack.
- (transitive) To verbally assault, especially to argue against an opinion, motive, or action; to question the truth or validity of; cast doubt on.
- ✤ Synonyms: call into question, challenge, contest, contradict, deny, disavow, dispute, oppugn, negate, question
- ✤ Antonyms: authenticate, endorse, support
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:impugn.
- ✤ [The fact] that Americans’ trust in government is at historic lows […] makes it easier for politicians to impugn the system – courts, parties, and institutions.1
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French impugner, from Latin impugnō, from im- + pugnō (“fight”), from pugnus (“fist”), as in English pugilism (“fighting with fists, boxing”).
Pronunciation
- IPA: /ɪmˈpjuːn/
- Audio (US): 🔊
- Rhymes: -uːn
- Homophone: impune
Printed 2026-09-15.
(echo:: @ ⌗)
Footnotes
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2023 March 13, Mark Sappenfield, “Governing wisely”, in The Christian Science Monitor: ↩