denial

[ dih-nahy-uhl ]

/ dɪˈnaɪ əl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR denial ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an assertion that something said, believed, alleged, etc., is false: Despite his denials, we knew he had taken the purse. The politician issued a denial of his opponent's charges.

refusal to believe a doctrine, theory, or the like.

disbelief in the existence or reality of a thing.

the refusal to satisfy a claim, request, desire, etc., or the refusal of a person making it.

refusal to recognize or acknowledge; a disowning or disavowal: the traitor's denial of his country; Peter's denial of Christ.

Law. refusal to acknowledge the validity of a claim, suit, or the like; a plea that denies allegations of fact in an adversary's plea: Although she sued for libel, he entered a general denial.

sacrifice of one's own wants or needs; self-denial.

Psychology. an unconscious defense mechanism used to reduce anxiety by denying thoughts, feelings, or facts that are consciously intolerable.

Origin of denial

First recorded in 1520–30; deny + -al²

SYNONYMS FOR denial

1 disavowal, disclaimer, repudiation.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR denial ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR denial

1 admission, acknowledgment, confession.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR denial ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM denial

non·de·ni·al, noun pre·de·ni·al, adjective re·de·ni·al, noun

Words nearby denial

dengue virus, denham, deni, deniability, deniable, denial, denial-of-service, denial-of-service attack, denialist, denidation, denier

Example sentences from the Web for denial

This is a case where delay is denial—with potentially deadly results.

My Insurance Company Killed Me, Despite Obamacare |Malcolm MacDougall |November 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
About 300,000 Palestinians live in East Jerusalem, and their relationship to the state is an almost perfect dance of denial.

After the Israel Synagogue Massacre: A New Intifada? |Michael Tomasky |November 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
“Mr. Mitchell thus controls both your management company and your lessor,” the IRS wrote in a denial letter.

At This Creepy Libertarian Charter School, Kids Must Swear ‘to Be Obedient to Those in Authority’ |ProPublica |October 15, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Ignorance on their part and denial on ours does nobody any favors.

Sexting Is the New ‘First Base’ |Russell Saunders |October 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

A recent column by Nia-Malika Henderson is emblematic of this denial.

No, 'Acting White' Has Not Been Debunked |John McWhorter |September 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The officer shook his head in token of doubt about the truthfulness of that denial, and grinned sardonically.

Secret Service or Recollections of a City Detective |Andrew Forrester
The denial of the authenticity of John's Gospel is a source of far greater difficulties than its acknowledgment.

The Wave of Scepticism and the Rock of Truth |Matthew Henry Habershon
Is not this a disparagement of the person of man and a denial of God's power?

No and Yes |Mary Baker Eddy
But, evidently, Spikeman placed no confidence in the denial.

The Knight of the Golden Melice |John Turvill Adams
Domitian had expected a denial from the courtier, not a confirmation of the facts.

Quintus Claudius, Volume 2 of 2 |Ernst Eckstein

British Dictionary definitions for denial

denial

/ (dɪˈnaɪəl) /

noun

a refusal to agree or comply with a statement; contradiction

the rejection of the truth of a proposition, doctrine, etc a denial of God's existence

a negative reply; rejection of a request

a refusal to acknowledge; renunciation; disavowal a denial of one's leader

a psychological process by which painful truths are not admitted into an individual's consciousness See also defence mechanism

abstinence; self-denial

Medical definitions for denial

denial

[ dĭ-nī′əl ]

n.

An unconscious defense mechanism characterized by refusal to acknowledge painful realities, thoughts, or feelings.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

denial

noun

Origin of denial

SYNONYMS FOR denial

ANTONYMS FOR denial

OTHER WORDS FROM denial

Words nearby denial

Example sentences from the Web for denial

British Dictionary definitions for denial

noun

Medical definitions for denial

n.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

denial

noun

Origin of denial

SYNONYMS FOR denial

ANTONYMS FOR denial

OTHER WORDS FROM denial

Words nearby denial

Words related to denial

Example sentences from the Web for denial

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for denial

noun

Medical definitions for denial

n.

British Dictionary definitions for denial