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
In some cases, ProPublica found, officials have been hired from activist groups that are pillars of the election-denial movement.
—
ProPublica, 1 May 2026
The report also criticized denials in federal agencies for Christians seeking exemptions from such things as COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
After nearly 12 hours of questioning, his denials changed.
—Mary Murphy, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Soviet officials initially remained in denial; unable to comprehend the gravity of the situation and desperate to contain the bad publicity.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for denial
ProPublica, 1 May 2026
The report also criticized denials in federal agencies for Christians seeking exemptions from such things as COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
—ABC News, 1 May 2026
After nearly 12 hours of questioning, his denials changed.
—Mary Murphy, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Soviet officials initially remained in denial; unable to comprehend the gravity of the situation and desperate to contain the bad publicity.
—The Week Uk, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for denial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denial
Noun
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She was known among her neighbors for her generosity and spunk — and among her relatives for stubborn refusal to leave Bellevue Square, her home of 54 years, The Courant reported in 1997.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
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The New York Democrat called out Hegseth for the administration’s refusal to seek approval of Congress for the war.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Speaking at an event held at the Aloft Hotel in Doral, a hub for Venezuelan diaspora activism, Guanipa painted a bleak picture of conditions inside Venezuela and sharply criticized the country’s current leadership, accusing those in power of clinging to control despite widespread rejection.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
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Many researchers, clinicians and patient advocates soon rushed to RP1’s defense, claiming that the FDA had made a mistake in its rejection.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Denial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denial. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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