Synonyms of deny

deny 1 of 2

verb (1)

di-ˈnī 

1

as in to refute

to declare not to be true

the congressman denied all charges of wrongdoing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refute
• reject
• contradict
• disallow
• disavow
• negate
• disown
• disclaim
• repudiate
• gainsay
• disaffirm
• dispute
• disconfirm
• negative
• disprove
• challenge
• traverse
• rebut
• disagree (with)
• confute

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• acknowledge
• confirm
• admit
• allow
• accept
• concede
• own
• adopt
• embrace
• claim
• maintain
• assert
• submit
• affirm
• declare
• announce
• avow
• verify
• profess
• validate
• espouse
• substantiate
• aver
• corroborate
• authenticate

2

as in to refuse

to be unwilling to grant

the director denied access to the top secret files to all but those with a need to know

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuse
• reject
• decline
• withhold
• disallow
• disapprove
• forbid
• negative
• restrict
• prohibit
• keep
• veto
• proscribe
• enjoin
• restrain
• reprobate
• nix
• ban
• check
• hold
• spurn
• repel
• constrain
• hinder
• repress
• impede
• curb
• obstruct
• rebuff
• balk (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• let
• permit
• allow
• grant
• concede
• provide
• give
• afford
• furnish
• supply
• authorize
• OK
• agree (to)
• license
• warrant
• consent (to)
• acquiesce
• sanction
• accede (to)
• commission
• accord
• assent (to)
• vouchsafe

3

as in to reject

to refuse to acknowledge as one's own or as one's responsibility

in a futile attempt to get out of the contract, he even denied his own signature

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuse
• refute
• reject
• disavow
• disown
• criticize
• disclaim
• repudiate
• contradict
• question
• challenge
• disprove
• disallow
• gainsay
• negate
• renounce
• wash one's hands of
• retract
• confute
• rebut
• dispute
• abdicate
• negative
• recant
• abjure

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recognize
• acknowledge
• claim
• accept
• own
• adopt
• admit
• embrace
• grant
• concede
• confess
• maintain
• assert
• submit
• affirm
• avow
• declare
• confirm
• announce
• verify
• espouse
• validate
• substantiate
• profess
• aver
• corroborate
• authenticate

denying

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of deny

1

as in refuting

to declare not to be true

the congressman denied all charges of wrongdoing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refuting
• rejecting
• contradicting
• disallowing
• negating
• disavowing
• disclaiming
• repudiating
• disputing
• disowning
• disconfirming
• disaffirming
• challenging
• traversing
• gainsaying
• disproving
• negativing
• rebutting
• confuting
• disagreeing (with)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• acknowledging
• admitting
• allowing
• confirming
• owning
• accepting
• conceding
• adopting
• claiming
• embracing
• maintaining
• asserting
• declaring
• affirming
• submitting
• announcing
• avowing
• professing
• verifying
• espousing
• validating
• averring
• corroborating
• substantiating
• authenticating

2

as in refusing

to be unwilling to grant

the director denied access to the top secret files to all but those with a need to know

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refusing
• rejecting
• declining
• withholding
• disallowing
• forbidding
• disapproving
• prohibiting
• restricting
• keeping
• vetoing
• reprobating
• nixing
• proscribing
• banning
• negativing
• enjoining
• restraining
• checking
• holding
• curbing
• hindering
• impeding
• constraining
• repressing
• obstructing
• repelling
• spurning
• rebuffing
• balking (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• granting
• letting
• providing
• permitting
• allowing
• conceding
• giving
• supplying
• affording
• furnishing
• authorizing
• licensing
• acquiescing
• according
• warranting
• commissioning
• agreeing (to)
• OK'ing
• sanctioning
• consenting (to)
• assenting (to)
• acceding (to)
• vouchsafing

3

as in rejecting

to refuse to acknowledge as one's own or as one's responsibility

in a futile attempt to get out of the contract, he even denied his own signature

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refusing
• refuting
• rejecting
• disavowing
• criticizing
• disowning
• disclaiming
• repudiating
• questioning
• contradicting
• disallowing
• challenging
• disproving
• negating
• renouncing
• retracting
• disputing
• washing one's hands of
• rebutting
• confuting
• gainsaying
• abdicating
• recanting
• negativing
• abjuring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• claiming
• recognizing
• acknowledging
• owning
• granting
• accepting
• adopting
• embracing
• admitting
• maintaining
• asserting
• conceding
• affirming
• declaring
• submitting
• announcing
• avowing
• confirming
• espousing
• verifying
• confessing
• professing
• validating
• averring
• corroborating
• substantiating
• authenticating

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deny differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deny are contradict, contravene, and gainsay. While all these words 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

When is it sensible to use contradict instead of deny?

The meanings of contradict and deny largely overlap; however, contradict implies an open or flat denial.

her account contradicts his

When can contravene be used instead of deny?

The words contravene and deny are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility.

laws that contravene tradition

When could gainsay be used to replace deny?

The synonyms gainsay and deny are sometimes interchangeable, but gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said.

no one can gainsay her claims

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deny

Verb

Before then, some Tattered Cover employees made claims of bullying and ageism, allegations that Spearman denied. —Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026

There’s no denying that Texas A&M put together a top-10 portal class. —Manny Navarro, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026

Verb

Justice Amy Comey Barrett explained some of the majority’s reasoning for supporting parental rights while denying similar rights for teachers in a concurring opinion signed by Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts. —Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 4 Mar. 2026

There’s no denying that firms are laying off droves of employees, and there’s also no denying that many of them are openly enthusiastic about AI. —Frank Landymore, Futurism, 4 Mar. 2026