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

An attacker can deliver a denial-of-service by causing the boot sequence to hang. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026

Immigration attorneys say minor inconsistencies in applications are increasingly triggering fraud findings, the denial of benefits and deportation proceedings. — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Town planning staff recommended denial, in part because the project includes no retail or commercial space and because of pedestrian access challenges. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026

Last week, after Trump demanded that Ukraine stop striking Russian refineries and Kyiv did not comply, its access to a military-grade version of Starlink was restricted and responsibility disappeared into a haze of accusation and denial. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 22 Oct. 2026