Meaning & use
disavowed
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“disavowed” is a form of “disavow”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitiveformal
stated publicly that you are not responsible for something or do not support it
Grammar: Past tense and past participle of 'disavow'; the object is usually a statement, action, or person.
Patterns
- disavow something
- disavow responsibility
- disavow a statement
The senator disavowed the controversial remarks made by his aide.
The company disavowed any connection to the illegal activities.
She disavowed her earlier support for the policy.
verbtransitiveformal
denied knowing or having a relationship with someone
Grammar: Often used about a person: disavow a friend or relative.
Patterns
- disavow someone
- disavow a connection with someone
He disavowed his former business partner after the scandal.
The group disavowed the man who claimed to represent them.
Word forms
| base form | disavow |
|---|---|
| third person singular | disavows |
| past tense | disavowed |
| past participle | disavowed |
| -ing form | disavowing |
Common combinations
- disavow responsibility
- The minister disavowed responsibility for the mistake.
- publicly disavow
- The party publicly disavowed the violent protest.
- disavow a statement
- The president disavowed the statement issued by his spokesman.
- disavow any knowledge of
- She disavowed any knowledge of the secret deal.
Synonyms and how they differ
- deny
- Deny is more general and can mean simply saying something is not true; disavow specifically means refusing to accept responsibility or support.
- repudiate
- Repudiate is stronger and more formal, often implying a complete rejection; disavow can be a simple public denial.
- renounce
- Renounce often involves formally giving up a right or claim; disavow focuses on denying a connection or responsibility.
Opposites
Word family
- disavowal noun
- the act of disavowing something
Commonly confused: disavowed or disavow?
disavowed vs disavow
Disavow is the base form; disavowed is the past tense. Make sure to use the right tense in your sentence.
Practice
The government ___ any involvement in the secret operation.
Choose one answer.
The sentence describes a completed action in the past, so the past tense 'disavowed' is correct. 'Disavow' is the base form, 'disavowing' is the -ing form, and 'disavows' is present tense third person singular.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “disavowed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.