deny
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to state that (something declared or believed to be true) is not true.
to deny an accusation.
- Synonyms:
- gainsay, oppose, controvert, dispute
-
to refuse to agree or accede to.
to deny a petition.
-
to withhold the possession, use, or enjoyment of.
to deny access to secret information.
- Antonyms:
- allow
-
to withhold something from, or refuse to grant a request of.
to deny a beggar.
-
to refuse to recognize or acknowledge; disown; disavow; repudiate.
to deny one's gods.
-
to withhold (someone) from accessibility to a visitor.
The secretary denied his employer to all those without appointments.
-
Obsolete. to refuse to take or accept.
idioms
verb
-
to declare (an assertion, statement, etc) to be untrue
he denied that he had killed her
-
to reject as false; refuse to accept or believe
-
to withhold; refuse to give
-
to refuse to fulfil the requests or expectations of
it is hard to deny a child
-
to refuse to acknowledge or recognize; disown; disavow
the baron denied his wicked son
-
to refuse (oneself) things desired
Related Words
Deny, contradict both imply objecting to or arguing against something. To deny is to say that something is not true: to deny an allegation. To contradict is to declare that the contrary is true: to contradict a statement.
Other Word Forms
- denyingly adverb
- predeny verb (used with object)
- redeny verb (used with object)
Etymology
Origin of deny
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English denien, from Old French denier, from Latin dēnegāre; denegation
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Despite a poor showing in the polls, Orban's allies deny that there is panic in the Fidesz camp.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
No one paying attention over the past half-century can deny that.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
It’s essentially three things: deceive, disrupt, and deny.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
Others on the Street don’t deny the existence of a bubble, but argue it remains intact for now.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
“I do not deny it. But if you must be angry, be angry at that man called Quinzy. He is the one who ruined your scheme in the end.”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
