Synonyms of disown

disown

verb

(ˌ)dis-ˈōn 

1

as in to deny

to declare not to be true

he steadfastly disowned that he was having an affair

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• acknowledge
• allow
• own
• admit
• confirm
• accept
• adopt
• concede
• embrace
• maintain
• declare
• assert
• submit
• claim
• affirm
• avow
• 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 dictatorial father angrily disowned his rebellious son

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of disown

The album was such a notorious disappointment that even Bowie himself would later disown it. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2026

Hong Kong's stablecoin licensing further illustrates this, approving only HKD tokens while publicly disowning any CNH stablecoin claims. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

The platforms that helped usher in the generative AI boom are now trying to clean up the mess without disowning the technology behind it. — Angela Yang, NBC news, 8 Aug. 2026

Offensive chants have not always been drowned out or disowned in the UK, Europe and beyond. — Patrick Iversen, New York Times, 6 July 2026