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
• concede
• grant
• provide
• afford
• give
• furnish
• okay
• supply
• OK
• authorize
• agree (to)
• license
• acquiesce
• warrant
• consent (to)
• accede (to)
• commission
• assent (to)
• sanction
• licence
• accord
• 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
• okaying
• licensing
• acquiescing
• according
• warranting
• commissioning
• agreeing (to)
• OK'ing
• sanctioning
• consenting (to)
• assenting (to)
• acceding (to)
• licencing
• 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

All the owners, including Allen, have denied the allegations against them in court filings or in statements to the news media. —Tony Schick, ProPublica, 3 Oct. 2025

McMahan has denied leading the chant. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025

Verb

And there’s no denying that that’s been an issue. —Nick Friedell, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025

While that is certainly true, there’s no denying that Rolliefest represents the ne plus ultra of watch meetups. —Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 1 Oct. 2025