Synonyms of disavow

disavow

verb

ˌdis-ə-ˈvau̇ 

1

as in to deny

to declare not to be true

disavowed the testimony that she had given earlier in the trial

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in to refuse

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

the government will disavow any knowledge of your mission

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of disavow

After initially resisting calls to disavow the material, Irving later apologized, and the Brooklyn Nets suspended him for at least five games without pay. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 17 Sep. 2026

El-Sayed sought to distance himself from the controversy, calling antisemitism a scourge and saying Piker does not speak for the campaign, but not disavowing Piker himself. — Sam Gringlas, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026

When asked about Piker at a meeting with a group of Jewish Democrats on Saturday, though, El-Sayed declined to disavow him. — Elaine Godfrey, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2026

Many politicians disavowed or walked back their anti-police stances from the aftermath of Floyd’s death. — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 1 Sep. 2026

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