# reduce vs refute

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### reduce
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈd͡ʒuːs/ · frequency rank #1,916*
To bring down the size, quantity, quality, value or intensity of something; to diminish, to lower.

### refute
*verb · IPA /ɹɪˈfjuːt/ · frequency rank #24,295*
To prove (something) to be false or incorrect.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/reduce-vs-refute