deny
Americanverb (used with object)
-
denies,
present (3rd person singular)
-
denied,
past participle, past
-
denying
present participle
-
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
Synonym Usage
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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
denysimple
-
deniessimple
-
have deniedperfect
-
has deniedperfect
-
am denyingprogressive
-
are denyingprogressive
-
is denyingprogressive
-
have been denyingperfect progressive
-
has been denyingperfect progressive
Past
-
deniedsimple
-
had deniedperfect
-
was denyingprogressive
-
were denyingprogressive
-
had been denyingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of deny
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English denien, from Old French denier, from Latin dēnegāre; see denegation
Explanation
To deny means refuse to accept, recognize, or believe. You can deny your sweet tooth all you want, but the stash of candy in your desk tells a different story. It's hard to deny what etymologists have proven: deny is rooted in the Latin word denegare, which means “to deny, reject, refuse.” You can deny yourself of chocolate if you're on a diet, or deny the accusations that you're a chocoholic. But it's usually best to fess up. Abraham Lincoln famously admitted: “I never did like to work, and I don't deny it. I'd rather read, tell stories, crack jokes, talk, laugh — anything but work."
Vocabulary lists containing deny
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
19th Amendment (1920)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Prosecutors rebutted Busfield’s allegations in a response to the dismissal and asked the court to deny his motion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
In a social-media post, he said a safety issue reported internally under the agreement could in some circumstances be used by an insurer to deny directors-and-officers coverage—protection designed to shield executives from personal liability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Did this money deny other clubs a place in the competition, and other kinds of success?
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Instead, the lawsuit and many internet pundits deny that Doe had the capacity to make choices at all.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
At first, you can’t believe that the stories are real in a place without magic, but it’s hard to deny your own eyes.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
She denies wrongdoing, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation questioned the veracity of the felon’s account and closed its inquiry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
Russell Brand denies all the charges and has pleaded not guilty.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
The government denies that, and says its policies are focused on the progress of all Indians.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
Ethiopia says Eritrea backs the TPLF, which it denies.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The last theory accepts the evidence for immigration from Korea but denies that it was massive.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Asked about those companies, Aurangzeb denied that they were receiving state funding.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
Walter’s company has denied wrongdoing, and neither Walter nor his businesses have been charged with a crime.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
ITV News has denied accusations of electoral interference.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
Officials on both sides said the talks continue and denied there was any impasse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
These appointments, somewhat misleadingly described as “the midnight judges,” had occurred after the presidential election, and therefore denied Jefferson the right to choose his own men.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Whatever one’s views of her politics, there can be no denying that everything Omar has attained, from her education to her career, has been earned against high odds.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
“There’s no denying: execution risk seems high, and bearish scenarios imply >50% downside potential,” Potter wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
So far it has led to the seizure of in excess of 1,600 boats and engines, denying their use to criminal networks.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
The Raiders haven’t played the NFL’s strongest schedule, but there’s no denying they have improved.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
“Now that she's here, I'm sure you won't go on denying us a demonstration of your skill.”
From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
