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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deny

Verb

Duffy denied any political motivation. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025

The Indonesian government cited security and safety concerns for denying the visas, but an Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the country's security team gave clearance to its athletes. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2025

Verb

Perhaps the latest wrinkle from the feds, denying access to Canadian wolves, presents a good time to pause, regroup and reconsider the whole program. —Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 4 Nov. 2025

According to the woman, her parents’ reasoning for denying her requests was rooted in a harsh lesson about independence. —Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025