Deny Definition & Meaning

American

British

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms deny American [dih-nahy] / dɪˈnaɪ /

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.

idioms

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

deny British / 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

The gene-therapy developer recently had its Huntington’s therapy—a one-time injection delivered directly into the brain—denied accelerated approval in what the company called a dramatic reversal of guidance from the FDA.

From The Wall Street Journal

Chelsea sources, both privately and publicly, have denied Palmer requires any surgical intervention.

From BBC

Vowles has not denied this is the case but has continually ducked giving a direct answer as to how much by.

From BBC

In his opening remarks to the House Oversight Committee, Bill Clinton can be seen in the video denying that he knew of any wrongdoing by Epstein.

From BBC

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell denied that the administration had shifted its justification for the operation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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

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.