Megcáfolták

Megcáfolták is a Hungarian verb form, the third-person plural past tense of megcáfolni, meaning they refuted or disproved something. The basic sense is that a claim, statement, or assertion has been shown false by evidence, arguments, or counterarguments presented by the subject. The prefix meg- indicates a completed, definitive action, while cáfol means to refute or contradict.

Usage and context

Megcáfolták is commonly used in journalism, science, politics, and formal discourse to report that an assertion has been debunked. It typically attaches to a direct object representing the claim or statement being contradicted. Examples of everyday usage include megcáfolták az állítást (they refuted the claim) or megcáfolták a vádakat (they disproved the accusations). The phrase can also be used in a passive-voice sense in practical language, such as A kijelentést megcáfolták, meaning the statement was refuted by them.

Related forms

The noun form is megcáfolás, describing the act of refuting. The related verb cáfol is the simpler, present-tense form meaning “to refute,” often used in similar contexts but without the explicit perfective sense conveyed by meg-cáfolni.

Notes

Megcáfolták generally implies that credible evidence or persuasive argument led to the refutation. As with many Hungarian verbs, the agent is identified by the sentence’s subject or an explicit agent phrase.

Examples (English equivalents)

- A szervezet megcáfolta az állításokat. (The organization refuted the claims.)

- A tudósok megcáfolták a korábbi eredményeket. (The scientists disproved the previous results.)