as in denial
a refusal to confirm the truth of a statement
the mayor's disavowal of the rumor that a terrorist threat had been received put our minds at rest
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Recent Examples of disavowal
But with Rourke’s strong disavowal, Hines also wanted to assure fans that there was nothing shady about the GoFundMe.
—
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
The 2025 version manages just eight mentions, including a sharp disavowal.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Nile is skeletal like Jared Kushner; his thinness is foreboding, marking a disavowal of all that is sensual.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Mamdani initially tried to stay on-message, offering a quick disavowal of an unsavory association or controversial past statement and pivoting back his agenda.
—Ben Adler, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
The post marks a significant shift from the President’s past disavowals of the unpopular right-wing policy blueprint, which was created by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation ahead of the 2024 election.
—Connor Greene, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Anderson saw something in the artist formerly known as Marky Mark, who’d only made the transition from musical artist to actor three years earlier, that Wahlberg still doesn’t see in himself, if his disavowal of the movie is any indication.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
But the new wave of disavowals represents the latest sign that the conflict, which has killed thousands of Palestinians, has become polarizing within the mainstream of the party.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
On display here is a crisis of disavowal, in which architects are relegated to playing mad scientists in a lab completely cut off from the world.
—Kate Wagner, Curbed, 5 Sep. 2025
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
The 2025 version manages just eight mentions, including a sharp disavowal.
—Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Nile is skeletal like Jared Kushner; his thinness is foreboding, marking a disavowal of all that is sensual.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Mamdani initially tried to stay on-message, offering a quick disavowal of an unsavory association or controversial past statement and pivoting back his agenda.
—Ben Adler, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
The post marks a significant shift from the President’s past disavowals of the unpopular right-wing policy blueprint, which was created by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation ahead of the 2024 election.
—Connor Greene, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Anderson saw something in the artist formerly known as Marky Mark, who’d only made the transition from musical artist to actor three years earlier, that Wahlberg still doesn’t see in himself, if his disavowal of the movie is any indication.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
But the new wave of disavowals represents the latest sign that the conflict, which has killed thousands of Palestinians, has become polarizing within the mainstream of the party.
—David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
On display here is a crisis of disavowal, in which architects are relegated to playing mad scientists in a lab completely cut off from the world.
—Kate Wagner, Curbed, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disavowal
Noun
-
Florida cannot build a just future on a foundation of denial.—
Debbie Deland,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Allen’s platform includes a number of ideas to ensure policyholders are treated better, including requiring insurers to clearly explain claim denials.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Their answers predicted a crushing rejection of the Roosevelt administration and the triumphant election of Republican Alf Landon and his running mate, Frank Knox.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Lung transplant patients see their doctors often in the year after the surgery, when the risk of organ rejection is the highest, Powers said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disavowal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disavowal. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
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