Journalism & Media vocabulary · Fact-Checking and Verification
Debunk
Meaning in journalism & media, with examples
/ˌdiːˈbʌŋk/verbCommon term
In journalism & media, debunk means: To show with clear evidence that a claim, rumour, theory or image is false or misleading.
In Turkish: çürütmek, asılsız olduğunu ortaya koymak, yalanlamak
How it is used
Fact-checkers debunk viral claims, myths and conspiracy theories. Research suggests debunking works better when you explain the facts first and avoid repeating the false claim too often. Prebunking means warning people about misleading tactics in advance.
Example sentences
Our team debunked the photo within an hour: it was taken at a concert in 2019.
The article debunks five common myths about vaccines.
Common collocations
debunk a myth
debunk a claim
debunk a rumour
widely debunked
Related terms
fact-checkTo check whether the names, numbers, dates and claims in a story or statement are correct before or after it is published; as a noun, the check itself.
misinformationFalse or misleading information that is spread without the intention to deceive, often by people who believe it is true.
verifyTo check carefully that information, a photo, a video or a source is real and true before you use or publish it.
reverse image searchA search that uses an image instead of words to find where else that image appears online and when it was first published.
