deny

verb

de·ny | \ di-ˈnī

, dē-\

denied; denying

Definition of deny

transitive verb

1 : to declare untrue denied the allegation

2 : to refuse to admit or acknowledge : disavow denied responsibility for the vandalism

3a : to give a negative answer to denying the petitioners

b : to refuse to grant deny a request was denied a refund

c : to restrain (oneself) from gratification of desires deny himself the foods that he loves

4 archaic : decline

5 : to refuse to accept the existence, truth, or validity of There's no denying her expertise. You can't deny that he's a good singer.

Other Words from deny Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about deny

Keep scrolling for more

Choose the Right Synonym for deny

deny, gainsay, contradict, contravene mean to refuse to accept as true or valid. deny implies a firm refusal to accept as true, to grant or concede, or to acknowledge the existence or claims of. denied the charges gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said. no one can gainsay her claims contradict implies an open or flat denial. her account contradicts his contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility. laws that contravene tradition

Examples of deny in a Sentence

He denied the report that he would be quitting his job. She denies all the charges that have been made against her. The police deny that racism is a problem in the department. Yes, I was there. I don't deny it. The judge denied their request. a government that denies its citizens basic freedoms

Recent Examples on the Web

The provision of the ordinance, known as Article 52, says property owners can’t deny internet service providers access to existing wiring within multi-unit residential and commercial buildings. — Sophia Kunthara, SFChronicle.com, "Mayor London Breed: FCC proposal would hurt SF consumers," 3 July 2019 Mysterious attacks have struck oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz, which the U.S. and Israel blame on Iran, although Tehran denies involvement. — Jon Gambrell, chicagotribune.com, "Iran will increase uranium enrichment to ‘any amount that we want,’ president says," 3 July 2019 Harford County District Court Judge Kerwin Miller said Wednesday in denying bail for Bobbie Sue Hodge, 60. — Erika Butler, baltimoresun.com, "Judge: Woman charged with setting fatal Edgewood house fire 'an incredible danger to the community'," 3 July 2019 Those denied admission to this fall’s freshman class at UCF included Jenaeé David, who moved to the Orlando area last year after graduating from high school in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. — Annie Martin, orlandosentinel.com, "Admissions to Florida’s public universities are getting more competitive. But schools still admit students lacking basic qualifications.," 2 July 2019 According to state statues, the SDBAB will review the dissolution after Sept. 10, and issue an order by Jan. 15, 2020, either affirming or denying the school board’s dissolution order. — Bob Dohr, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "The Palmyra-Eagle School Board has taken the next step toward dissolving the school district," 2 July 2019 Tournament director Jason Langwell said Saturday night the person who denied Renata Evans access was a security guard employed by the tournament's security contractor and was no longer affiliated with the tournament. — Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press, "Here's what the Rocket Mortgage Classic got right — and what it got wrong," 30 June 2019 Here is Dred Scott’s 1846 petition for freedom (signed with an X)—a petition that the Supreme Court denied in 1857, concluding that African-Americans held no citizenship rights. — Edward Rothstein, WSJ, "‘Civil War and Reconstruction: The Battle for Freedom and Equality’ Review: A Nation’s Arc Toward Justice," 29 June 2019 Warren didn’t deny Todd’s (obviously correct) premise that in some sense, the existing stock of dangerous weapons is at least as big a problem as any future flow of new sales. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "Elizabeth Warren proved she’s ready for the big show," 27 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deny.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.