impugn

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French impugner, from Latin impugnō, from im- + pugnō (“fight”), from pugnus (“fist”), as in English pugilism (“fighting with fists, boxing”).

verb

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To assault, attack.
  2. (transitive) To verbally assault, especially to argue against an opinion, motive, or action; to question the truth or validity of.
    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. March 13 2023, Mark Sappenfield, “Governing wisely”, in The Christian Science Monitor

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