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''impugn'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20260915190735-00-⌔

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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2023 March 13, Mark Sappenfield, “Governing wisely”, in The Christian Science Monitor: ↩

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