Synonyms of denial

denial

noun

di-ˈnī(-ə)l 

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

• refusal
• rejection
• nonacceptance
• no
• disallowance
• declination
• injunction
• nay
• repudiation
• suppression
• turndown
• rebuff
• veto
• repression
• repulse
• discouragement
• ban
• deterrence
• spurn
• negative

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• approval
• grant
• allowance
• acceptance
• agreement
• consent
• permission
• sanction
• license
• authorization
• clearance
• assent
• leave
• acquiescence
• concurrence
• OK
• accession
• signature
• seal
• stamp
• sufferance
• imprimatur

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

• rejection
• disavowal
• contradiction
• repudiation
• negation
• disallowance
• refutation
• disclaimer
• denegation
• rebuttal
• disconfirmation
• disproof
• negative

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confirmation
• admission
• acknowledgment
• confession
• declaration
• concession
• affirmation
• assertion
• testimony
• avowal
• documentation
• validation
• testament
• corroboration
• substantiation
• attestation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of denial

But in 1982, the waters of public opinion were far murkier—clouded by distance, by denial, and by the convenient myth of neutrality. — Literary Hub, 14 July 2026

The one-sentence denial set no conditions on how Carroll may use the money. — Jennifer Peltz, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

The instinct in every one of these cases is to freak out, to fire off denials and go quiet, and that instinct is almost always the wrong one, since silence reads as guilt and panic reads as relevance. — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Wildly popular online influencers have also increasingly embraced antisemitic tropes, including Holocaust denial. — Will Carless, USA Today, 10 July 2026