repudiate

/ɹɪˈpjuː.di.eɪt/

//ɹɪˈpjuː.di.eɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"repudiate" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“repudiate” is an uncommon English word, ranked #56,403 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#56,403
frequency rank, English
9
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To reject the truth or validity of; to deny.

Key facts for repudiate
PropertyValue
Headwordrepudiate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈpjuː.di.eɪt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#56,403
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “repudiate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). repudiate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for repudiate is 9 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈpjuː.di.eɪt/. Corpus data places it at rank #56,403 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for repudiate in our index, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1543; from Latin repudiātus, the perfect passive participle of repudiō (“to cast off, reject”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), from repudium (“rejection, repudiation, divorce”). The correct English form is repudiate, spelled R-E-P-U-D-I-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To reject the truth or validity of; to deny.
  2. 2
    To refuse to have any relation to; to disown.
  3. 3
    To refuse to pay or honor (a debt).
  4. 4
    To be repudiated.

Etymology

First attested in 1543; from Latin repudiātus, the perfect passive participle of repudiō (“to cast off, reject”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), from repudium (“rejection, repudiation, divorce”).

Synonyms

abjuredenydisavowdisclaimdisownforsayforswearrenouncerepudiatewash one's hands of

Antonyms

acceptown up

This word in other languages

repudiar(Español)répudier(Français)verleugnen(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "repudiate"?
"repudiate" is spelled R-E-P-U-D-I-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈpjuː.di.eɪt/.
What does "repudiate" mean?
As a verb, "repudiate" means: To reject the truth or validity of; to deny.
How do you pronounce "repudiate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "repudiate" is /ɹɪˈpjuː.di.eɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "repudiate"?
First attested in 1543; from Latin repudiātus, the perfect passive participle of repudiō (“to cast off, reject”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), from repudium (“rejection, repudiation, divorce”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “repudiate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-P-U-D-I-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈpjuː.di.eɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list