1
as in refusal
an unwillingness to grant something asked for
our supervisor's denial of unpaid personal leave got mixed reactions from the staff
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rejection
a refusal to confirm the truth of a statement
the senator issued a flat denial of the accusation against her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of denial
Against this backdrop of denial and delays, the United Nations recently called for reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent.
—
Marcus Anthony Hunter,
Time,
19 June 2026
In the case of Robbie, however, the denial of a self seems connected to the denial of consciousness.
—
Joel Marks,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
The City Council ultimately voted 3-2 to deny the moratorium, with council members Josh Lewis, Bill Malloy and Clay Longanecker supporting the denial.
—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
In the last episode, there’s a phone call with Frederick’s mother, who’s either in total denial or oblivion toward the situation.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for denial
Marcus Anthony Hunter,
Time,
19 June 2026
In the case of Robbie, however, the denial of a self seems connected to the denial of consciousness.
—
Joel Marks,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
The City Council ultimately voted 3-2 to deny the moratorium, with council members Josh Lewis, Bill Malloy and Clay Longanecker supporting the denial.
—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
In the last episode, there’s a phone call with Frederick’s mother, who’s either in total denial or oblivion toward the situation.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for denial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denial
Noun
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The stat might reflect a mere delay rather than a total refusal — Bain’s research suggests most people still get licenses by age 25.
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His refusal to do so jeopardizes public safety.
Noun
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Social and physical pain share overlapping circuitry in the brain, and a large-scale meta-analysis identified the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex as the region most reliably activated by social rejection, the same region most associated with the experience of pain itself.
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At the end of the day, the college audition process has rejection.
Cite this Entry
“Denial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denial. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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