deny

[dih-nahy]

verb (used with object)

denied, denying 

1. to state that (something declared or believed to be true) is not true.

   to deny an accusation.

   Synonyms: gainsay, oppose, controvert, dispute
   Antonyms: concede, accept, admit

2. to refuse to agree or accede to.

   to deny a petition.

3. to withhold the possession, use, or enjoyment of.

   to deny access to secret information.

   Antonyms: allow

4. to withhold something from, or refuse to grant a request of.

   to deny a beggar.

5. to refuse to recognize or acknowledge; disown; disavow; repudiate.

   to deny one's gods.

   Synonyms: abjure, renounce

6. to withhold (someone) from accessibility to a visitor.

   The secretary denied his employer to all those without appointments.

7. Obsolete.,  to refuse to take or accept.

deny

/ dɪˈnaɪ /

verb

1. to declare (an assertion, statement, etc) to be untrue

   he denied that he had killed her

2. to reject as false; refuse to accept or believe

3. to withhold; refuse to give

4. to refuse to fulfil the requests or expectations of

   it is hard to deny a child

5. to refuse to acknowledge or recognize; disown; disavow

   the baron denied his wicked son

6. to refuse (oneself) things desired

Other Word Forms

• denyingly adverb
• predeny verb (used with object)
• redeny verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of deny¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English denien, from Old French denier, from Latin dēnegāre; denegation

Word History and Origins

Origin of deny¹

C13: from Old French denier, from Latin dēnegāre, from negāre

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. deny oneself, to refrain from satisfying one's desires or needs; practice self-denial.

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

Russia has denied accusations it was involved in previous incidents.

Read more on BBC

According to the statement, Muftin denies the accusations against him and has assembled a team of lawyers to pursue his case with the US Treasury.

Read more on Barron's

They added that strict confidentiality rules prevent officials from disclosing whether someone applied for asylum and was denied.

Read more on BBC

The band initially denied the claims, later describing themselves as a synthetic project "guided by human creative direction, and composed, voiced and visualised with the support of artificial intelligence".

Read more on BBC

James Washington, who recently was the head of UCLA’s NIL collective, denies any impropriety tied to funds being funneled through a nonprofit he runs.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ban 
• call on 
• contradict 
• oppose 
• rebuff 
• refuse 
• refute 
• reject 
• revoke 
• turn down 
• withhold