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

Thousands of Carolina Water Service customers across more than 40 North Carolina communities have signed a petition urging the commission to deny the broader rate request altogether. —Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026

Continue reading … SCANDAL BREWS — US Olympians considering appeal of scoring decision that denied them gold. —FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026

Verb

The most common complaints include denying legitimate claims, partnering with inexperienced and unqualified service providers, poor service, and slow response times. —Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 6 Feb. 2026

But before that story could be told, Armstrong, after denying it for years, ultimately admitted to blood doping, ultimately ending his career. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026