1
as in to deny
to declare not to be true
it can't be gainsaid that most people wish they had more time and money
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to contradict
to make an assertion that is contrary to one made by (another)
repeatedly tried to gainsay me, though every point I made was backed up by facts
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gainsay
Within these rules, the CFPB cannot be gainsaid by anyone — not Congress, the Fed or the president.
—
Stephen L. Carter, The Mercury News, 23 May 2024
It cannot be gainsaid that Biden cooperated and Trump obstructed.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 2 Mar. 2024
There’s a way to gainsay that impression — and inform voters of the rivals’ actual positions on the issues: Put the two candidates side by side on a debate stage for an extended period of time.
—Matthew Yglesias, Twin Cities, 31 Jan. 2024
None of this is to gainsay the help that western European allies have provided to Ukraine or to minimize the constraints that hamper them from doing more.
—A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 5 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for gainsay
Stephen L. Carter, The Mercury News, 23 May 2024
It cannot be gainsaid that Biden cooperated and Trump obstructed.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 2 Mar. 2024
There’s a way to gainsay that impression — and inform voters of the rivals’ actual positions on the issues: Put the two candidates side by side on a debate stage for an extended period of time.
—Matthew Yglesias, Twin Cities, 31 Jan. 2024
None of this is to gainsay the help that western European allies have provided to Ukraine or to minimize the constraints that hamper them from doing more.
—A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 5 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for gainsay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gainsay
Verb
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His latest appeal was denied for review by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in May 2025, at which time Zellner announced her intent to file a petition in federal court, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.—
Nicole Briese,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Earlier this month, Ted Cruz said that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, a claim the Nigerian government denies.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The true-crime trappings offered a pointed tool for presenting evidence that contradicted the husbands’ oblivious assertions.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
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Thompson turned to Preston Mui, a senior economist at Employ America, for a sector-by-sector breakdown of job openings since ChatGPT’s release, and the findings actually contradicted the AI narrative.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Spotify also refuted that the program only helps major label artists, contending that the feature is popular among both major and independent acts.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Nov. 2025
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Rosen refuted Palomares’ claim, saying the tugboat captain was reckless and should have been on the lookout for recreational boaters who frequent those waters.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The 2023 edition opened a month later as Israel intensified its bombing campaign on Gaza, which has since killed more than 67,000 people, injured another 170,000 and razed the Palestinian territory to the ground, prompting accusations of genocide, which Israel has strongly rejected.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
30 Oct. 2025
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Wyden’s aide rejected outright the concept that the Finance Committee lacks proper jurisdiction.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gainsay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gainsay. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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