Synonyms of deny

deny 1 of 2

verb (1)

di-ˈnī 

1

as in to refute

to declare not to be true

the congressman denied all charges of wrongdoing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refute
• reject
• contradict
• disallow
• disavow
• negate
• disown
• disclaim
• repudiate
• gainsay
• disaffirm
• dispute
• disconfirm
• negative
• disprove
• challenge
• traverse
• rebut
• disagree (with)
• confute

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• acknowledge
• confirm
• admit
• allow
• accept
• concede
• own
• adopt
• embrace
• claim
• maintain
• assert
• submit
• affirm
• declare
• announce
• avow
• verify
• profess
• validate
• espouse
• substantiate
• aver
• corroborate
• authenticate

2

as in to refuse

to be unwilling to grant

the director denied access to the top secret files to all but those with a need to know

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuse
• reject
• decline
• withhold
• disallow
• disapprove
• forbid
• negative
• restrict
• prohibit
• keep
• veto
• proscribe
• enjoin
• restrain
• reprobate
• nix
• ban
• check
• hold
• spurn
• repel
• constrain
• hinder
• repress
• impede
• curb
• obstruct
• rebuff
• balk (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• let
• permit
• allow
• concede
• grant
• provide
• afford
• give
• furnish
• okay
• supply
• OK
• authorize
• agree (to)
• license
• acquiesce
• warrant
• consent (to)
• accede (to)
• commission
• assent (to)
• sanction
• licence
• accord
• vouchsafe

3

as in to reject

to refuse to acknowledge as one's own or as one's responsibility

in a futile attempt to get out of the contract, he even denied his own signature

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuse
• refute
• reject
• disavow
• disown
• criticize
• disclaim
• repudiate
• contradict
• question
• challenge
• disprove
• disallow
• gainsay
• negate
• renounce
• wash one's hands of
• retract
• confute
• rebut
• dispute
• abdicate
• negative
• recant
• abjure

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recognize
• acknowledge
• claim
• accept
• own
• adopt
• admit
• embrace
• grant
• concede
• confess
• maintain
• assert
• submit
• affirm
• avow
• declare
• confirm
• announce
• verify
• espouse
• validate
• substantiate
• profess
• aver
• corroborate
• authenticate

denying

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of deny

1

as in refuting

to declare not to be true

the congressman denied all charges of wrongdoing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuting
• rejecting
• contradicting
• disallowing
• negating
• disavowing
• disclaiming
• repudiating
• disputing
• disowning
• disconfirming
• disaffirming
• challenging
• traversing
• gainsaying
• disproving
• negativing
• rebutting
• confuting
• disagreeing (with)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• acknowledging
• admitting
• allowing
• confirming
• owning
• accepting
• conceding
• adopting
• claiming
• embracing
• maintaining
• asserting
• declaring
• affirming
• submitting
• announcing
• avowing
• professing
• verifying
• espousing
• validating
• averring
• corroborating
• substantiating
• authenticating

2

as in refusing

to be unwilling to grant

the director denied access to the top secret files to all but those with a need to know

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refusing
• rejecting
• declining
• withholding
• disallowing
• forbidding
• disapproving
• prohibiting
• restricting
• keeping
• vetoing
• reprobating
• nixing
• proscribing
• banning
• negativing
• enjoining
• restraining
• checking
• holding
• curbing
• hindering
• impeding
• constraining
• repressing
• obstructing
• repelling
• spurning
• rebuffing
• balking (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• granting
• letting
• providing
• permitting
• allowing
• conceding
• giving
• supplying
• affording
• furnishing
• authorizing
• okaying
• licensing
• acquiescing
• according
• warranting
• commissioning
• agreeing (to)
• OK'ing
• sanctioning
• consenting (to)
• assenting (to)
• acceding (to)
• licencing
• vouchsafing

3

as in rejecting

to refuse to acknowledge as one's own or as one's responsibility

in a futile attempt to get out of the contract, he even denied his own signature

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refusing
• refuting
• rejecting
• disavowing
• criticizing
• disowning
• disclaiming
• repudiating
• questioning
• contradicting
• disallowing
• challenging
• disproving
• negating
• renouncing
• retracting
• disputing
• washing one's hands of
• rebutting
• confuting
• gainsaying
• abdicating
• recanting
• negativing
• abjuring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• claiming
• recognizing
• acknowledging
• owning
• granting
• accepting
• adopting
• embracing
• admitting
• maintaining
• asserting
• conceding
• affirming
• declaring
• submitting
• announcing
• avowing
• confirming
• espousing
• verifying
• confessing
• professing
• validating
• averring
• corroborating
• substantiating
• authenticating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deny

Verb

The banks denied the claim and Trump hasn’t provided any evidence to back it up. —Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 15 Feb. 2025

Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, denying the reigning champs a three-peat and claiming the Vince Lombardi trophy for Philly. —Grace Miserocchi, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2025

Verb

The injunction, which applies to the 2025 season unless it is vacated on appeal, blocks NASCAR from denying 23XI Racing and Front Row the same terms offered to charter teams and ensures the two teams are not compelled to release legal claims against NASCAR. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 23 Dec. 2024

Health insurers are notorious for delaying or denying care, leaving individuals feeling powerless. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 22 Dec. 2024