What does "oppugn" mean?

To contradict or controvert; to oppose; to challenge or question the truth or validity of a given statement.

Oppugn

Common synonyms include: antagonize, battle, be antipathetic, be at cross-purposes, be contrary to, be inimical.

//əˈpjuːn// verb

verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Verb

1
To contradict or controvert; to oppose; to challenge or question the truth or validity of a given statement. rare, transitive
"If nothing can oppugne love, And virtue invious ways can prove, What may not he confide to do That brings both love and virtue too?"
2
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of wordnet

"If nothing can oppugne love, And virtue invious ways can prove, What may not he confide to do That brings both love and virtue too?"

From Middle French oppugner Latin oppugno (“fight against, to attack, assail, assault, storm, besiege, war with”).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.