denial

The act of saying that a claim is untrue or that something did not happen.

• He issued a firm denial.
• Her denial of the claims appeared in the newspaper.
• Despite repeated denials, people still believed the story.

How to use it: denial of something (His denial of the accusation surprised us.); denial that… (Her denial that she knew him was convincing.)

Similar words: rejection, refutation

Opposites: admission

Common phrases: denial of something, firm denial, issue a denial, official denial

A refusal or inability to accept an unpleasant fact.

• She is still in denial.
• His denial of the problem delayed treatment.
• They lived in denial about the damage for years.

How to use it: in denial about something (He is in denial about his drinking problem.)

Opposites: acceptance

Common phrases: in denial, denial about something, state of denial

The act of refusing to let someone have something they need or ask for.

• They protested the denial of medical care.
• The letter explained the denial of her request.
• Denial of access prevented us from checking the records.

How to use it: denial of something to someone (The denial of treatment to patients caused anger.)

Similar words: refusal

Opposites: grant

Common phrases: denial of access, denial of care, denial of something

A statement that reverses another statement, saying that it is not true.

• Write the denial of this statement.
• The denial is true when the original proposition is false.
• A proposition and its denial cannot both be true.

How to use it: denial of a proposition (We wrote the denial of the proposition below it.)

Similar words: negation

Opposites: affirmation

Common phrases: denial of something, logical denial