verb
deny
dih-NY/dɪˈnaɪ/
To refuse acknowledgment or acceptance of something.
The attendant denies the visitor's request, blocking the entrance with her arm.
Etymology
The combination of “away” and “say no” already meant rejection or refusal. Saying no to a claim gives the sense “declare untrue”; saying no to a request gives “refuse to grant.”
In context
deny the existence of ukraine to say that ukrainians are just russians who don't realize that they're russians
More examples
- He denied taking money from the register.
- The bank denied our request for a loan.
- She denies any connection with the group.
Forms
deny · denies · denied · denying
denial noun — A statement that something is not true.
Similar words
- reject
- Refuses acceptance without necessarily saying that something is untrue.
- disavow
- Specifically denies responsibility for or a connection with something.
- contradict
- States the opposite of what someone else has said.