Meaning & use
denial
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A statement saying that something is not true or that you did not do it.
Grammar: Countable and often followed by of or that: a denial of the rumor.
Patterns
- a denial of something
- a denial that something is true
The minister issued a flat denial of the story.
Despite his denials, several people had seen him there.
Her denial that she knew the man surprised the police.
nouncountable or uncountable
A refusal to allow someone something that they ask for or that is their right.
Grammar: Often followed by of: a denial of access, a denial of rights.
Patterns
- denial of something
- denial of someone's request
The denial of her visa meant she could not attend the wedding.
Human rights groups condemned the denial of medical care.
The company's denial of the claim was appealed.
noununcountable
A state of refusing to accept a painful or uncomfortable truth, even though it is obvious.
Grammar: Uncountable, usually with in: he is in denial about his health.
Patterns
- in denial
- in denial about something
He was in denial about how serious the illness was.
Grief can begin with a period of denial.
Many people live in denial of their debts.
Word forms
| plural | denials |
|---|
Common combinations
- issue a denial
- The company issued a denial within hours.
- flat denial
- His flat denial convinced few people.
- in denial
- She is in denial about her failing grades.
- vigorous denial
- The mayor made a vigorous denial of the charges.
- denial of access
- The denial of access angered the reporters.
- self-denial
- The monk lived a life of self-denial.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rejection
- Rejection is about turning down an offer, person, or idea, while denial can mean saying something is untrue.
- refusal
- Refusal is only about saying no to a request, whereas denial can also be about facts.
- disavowal
- Disavowal is a formal rejection of responsibility or connection, stronger and more serious than a denial.
- contradiction
- Contradiction is saying the opposite of what someone said, a narrower sense than denial.
Opposites
Word family
- deny verb
- to say something is not true or refuse
- deniable adjective
- able to be denied
- undeniable adjective
- impossible to deny
- self-denial noun
- going without things you want
Commonly confused: denial or denial vs. denigration?
denial vs denial vs. denigration
Denigration means speaking badly about someone, whereas denial means saying something is not true or refusing.
Practice
He is still ___ about the fact that the company is closing.
Choose one answer.
In denial is the fixed phrase for refusing to accept a painful reality. The other prepositions do not form it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “denial”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.