1
as in to deny
to declare not to be true
he steadfastly disowned that he was having an affair
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disown
Becket is broke, disowned and circling a family fortune that never wanted him.
—
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
They may be cut off from financial resources, disowned, or stripped of personal property and communal safety nets.
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
In September 2025, it was revealed that Ferguson sent an email to Epstein apologizing for publicly disowning him in a March 2011 interview with the Evening Standard.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
At the end of her remarks Monday, McCarthy told the court that Mykkanen’s family has disowned Garner.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disown
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 18 Feb. 2026
They may be cut off from financial resources, disowned, or stripped of personal property and communal safety nets.
—Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
In September 2025, it was revealed that Ferguson sent an email to Epstein apologizing for publicly disowning him in a March 2011 interview with the Evening Standard.
—Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
At the end of her remarks Monday, McCarthy told the court that Mykkanen’s family has disowned Garner.
—Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disown
Verb
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About ninety-eight per cent of building requests by Palestinians in the area are denied.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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The case went to trial in 2023, and Pras was convicted on 10 charges; he was denied a retrial in 2024.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But North Carolina State refused to fade and tied the game at 66-66 after making one of two free throws with 18 seconds left.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
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Trump has similarly fumed at Thune, going so far as to refuse to sign bills until the SAVE America Act reaches his desk.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, the executives from several of the vendors that built out the state’s four-region 911 system encouraged the Assembly Committee on Emergency Management to reject Cal OES’ decision to transition to the statewide design.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
18 Mar. 2026
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Easier, maybe, to imagine Blume rejecting the general proposition of an author biography, which seeks to root a subject’s work in their specific experiences, dislodging them from a supposedly neutral or unmarked position.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In February, Carney and Mooresville Police Chief Ron Campurciani refuted claims in two federal lawsuits against the town about Carney’s behavior during two late-night encounters involving police.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Mar. 2026
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In Monday’s closing arguments, Ye’s attorney, Andrew Cherlaskey, refuted reportage that his client had fallen asleep during his testimony.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disown. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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