Refute is a much mis-used weasel word -- when "dispute" is meant, use "dispute"

Last night (10/13/2016) MSNBC had a banner at the bottom of the TV screen “TRUMP REFUTES PEOPLE MAGAZINE STORY”.  What they meant is “DISPUTES”.

“Refute” is a real weasel word that has two contradictory meanings. 

transitive verb. 1 : to prove wrong by argument or evidence : show to be false or erroneous. 2 : to deny the truth or accuracy of <refuted the allegations>

The first meaning is to prove wrong. The second is simply to deny.