GAINSAYING Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

gainsaying

verb

present participle of gainsay

as in denying

to declare not to be true it can't be gainsaid that most people wish they had more time and money

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in contradicting

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for gainsaying

Verb

The first case was settled out of court, with the artist denying allegations and claiming fair use through her legal representative.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
The drone in question was powered by a Nvidia minicomputer not sold in Russia but available through resale markets, highlighting the difficulties in denying tech to US adversaries.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of denying

Verb

Finally, leaders who have inconsistent messaging—giving one instruction today and contradicting it tomorrow—create confusion, frustration and uncertainty.

— Don Weber, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
But only states have the power to put these proposals into practice—and many state policy makers, concerned that the White House is contradicting existing research, aren’t keen to follow its guidance.

— Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of contradicting

Verb

So thankful to Alabama Athletics for refuting it on my behalf.

— CBS News, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Minneapolis’s Walker Art Center and the artist Olalekan Jeyifous are refuting accusations by some museum visitors that his work was made using generative AI, reports MPR News.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of refuting

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

gainsay

gainsaying

gainsays

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gainsaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gainsaying. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of gainsaying

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

cogent

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes