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deny Definition

deny (dē nī′, di-)

transitive verb -·nied′, -·ny′·ing

  1. to declare (a statement) untrue; contradict
  2. to refuse to accept as true or right; reject as unfounded, unreal, etc.
  3. to refuse to acknowledge as one's own; disown; repudiate
  4. to refuse the use of or access to
  5. to refuse to grant or give
  6. to refuse the request of (a person)
  7. Obsolete to forbid

Etymology: ME denien < OFr denier < L denegare < de-, intens. + negare, to deny: see negation

deny Idioms

deny oneself

  1. to do without desired things
  2. to abstain from

deny Synonyms

deny

v.

contradict, dispute, disagree with, disprove, disallow, gainsay, disavow, disclaim, negate, repudiate, contravene, controvert, forswear, revoke, recant, rebut, abnegate, call one a liar, rebuff, withhold, reject, refuse, renounce, discard, not admit, take exception to, disbelieve, spurn, doubt, veto, discredit, dismiss, impugn, confute, nullify, abjure, assert the negative of, say ""no'' to, declare not to be true, refute, disaffirm, refuse to acknowledge, not buy*, give the lie to*; see also confute, recant, refuse.

Antonyms admit*, accept*, affirm.

deny implies a refusal to accept as true, real, valid, existent, or tenable he denied the charge; to gainsay is to dispute what a person says or to challenge the person saying it facts that cannot be gainsaid; contradict not only implies emphatic denial, but, in addition, often suggests belief or evidence that the opposite or contrary is true the facts contradict his statement; impugn implies a direct, forceful attack against that which one calls into question she impugned his motives

deny Law Definition

v

Of a court, to reject a party’s claim for money or other relief; of a litigant, to reject in a pleading assertions made by the other party in its own pleading.

deny Usage Examples

Object

  • allegation: MMC, however, neither admitted or denied the allegations.
  • rumor: Saints deny rumors of Fowler play Sun 13 Nov Saints have moved to deny rumors that Robbie Fowler could be joining Southampton on loan.
  • existence: Similarly, you cannot discuss the purpose of life with a man who denies the existence of God.
  • accusation: The group denies accusations that it is aiding terrorists in the south.
  • wrongdoing: Dr. Bell said that Premier Foods had always denied any wrongdoing in this matter.
  • access: Anyone abusing these services will be denied access to the secure portion of the website.

Subject

keeper: Cole went close for Blues but was denied by keeper Smith, and Hucknall pushed forward with Mark Smith prominent.

Modifying Another Word

  • vehemently: She vehemently denied that she had given it to Diana to sell.
  • strenuously: The police strenuously deny that there is any evidence to support these claims.
  • categorically: Yet in your letter of information you categorically deny what comrade N tells me.
  • flatly: He flatly denies the fundamental truths of the Gospel.
  • no: However, there's no denying the sector is slowing.
  • vigorously: Many archeologists vigorously deny that cannibalism has ever been normal practice in Britain or elsewhere, in prehistory or at any more recent period.

Used with why or when

what: The guest can now only confirm or deny what has been said.

Present participle complement

  • assault: Peters denied assaulting her, but admitted that " I only poked her with my stick to see if she was alive.
  • murder: George ( 41 ) denies murdering the TV presenter on 26 April 1999.
  • board: Details of our denied boarding rules are available on request at check-in counters.
  • steal: Man denies stealing rower's Olympic medal about the guy arrested for nicking Matthew Pinsent's latest bit of metalwork.
  • know: Marcia goes missing and the plot thickens when her teachers / landlord etc deny ever knowing her.

Preposition: by

keeper: Cole went close for Blues but was denied by keeper Smith, and Hucknall pushed forward with Mark Smith prominent.

Browse dictionary entries near deny

  1. ‹ Denver boot
  2. ‹ Denver
  3. ‹ denunciation
  4. ‹ denumerable
  5. ‹ denude
  6. ‹ denudate
  7. ‹ denuclearize
  8. ‹ denture
  9. ‹ dentosurgical
  10. ‹ Denton
  1. Denys ›
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