1
as in denying
to declare not to be true
he steadfastly disowned that he was having an affair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in refusing
to refuse to acknowledge as one's own or as one's responsibility
the dictatorial father angrily disowned his rebellious son
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disowning
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
The pastor approaches the line without fully disenchanting; a magician drawing attention to the trick without disowning its power.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
Emails published on the Mail on Sunday revealed Ferguson apologized to Epstein weeks after publicly disowning him, back in 2011.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 Nov. 2025
Extended family members of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller are disowning him, according to his cousin.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Maximum Overdrive, the only movie that King directed, is eligible… but King himself joined the chorus of harsh critics, disowning it and never again returning to the director’s chair .
—James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026
The pastor approaches the line without fully disenchanting; a magician drawing attention to the trick without disowning its power.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
Emails published on the Mail on Sunday revealed Ferguson apologized to Epstein weeks after publicly disowning him, back in 2011.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 30 Nov. 2025
Extended family members of White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller are disowning him, according to his cousin.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Maximum Overdrive, the only movie that King directed, is eligible… but King himself joined the chorus of harsh critics, disowning it and never again returning to the director’s chair .
—James Grebey, Time, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disowning
Verb
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During Britney Spears’ DUI arrest in Ventura County in March, the pop star, at points, refused to comply with law enforcement, denying being under the influence and offering to make lasagna for officers rather than exit her car, video and reporting released by various outlets Thursday showed.—
Sean Campbell,
Sacbee.com,
22 May 2026
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The Copperhead may be named after a different snake than the Viper, but there’s not denying that the two cars share DNA.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Moreover, lawmakers are engaged in budget negotiations, where the House is refusing to fund several of DeSantis’ priorities.—
Gray Rohrer,
Sun Sentinel,
15 May 2026
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Former Representative Elizabeth Holtzman, one of the co-authors, has portrayed the act as a corrective to the moral failure of refusing entry to many Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
Verb
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As Business of Fashion reports, Gen-Z in particular is rejecting mass-market trends in the pursuit of a true personal style, often favoring one of a kind, unique pieces.—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
22 May 2026
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School is where some students learn that mercilessly rejecting others is not only permissible but also necessary, to eliminate competition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Anne Hathaway is refuting online speculation over whether she's had a facelift.—
Sharareh Drury,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
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King’s break with Johnson was not about refuting his historic contributions.—
Mark Conway,
Baltimore Sun,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disowning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disowning. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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