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

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

Some Sox fans claimed to disown the team back then, and now are jumping back on the bandwagon. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026

He was also forced to disown his family. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 1 June 2026

The same fiber that the broader industry is scrambling to disown is also winding deeper, tighter—and, indeed, faster—into the Chinese economy. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2026