Deny

/dɪˈnaɪ/

Meaning & Definition

verb
To refuse to admit the truth or existence of something.
She denied that she had stolen the money.
To refuse to give something to someone.
The company denied her request for a raise.
To refuse to grant permission.
He was denied entry to the club because he was underage.
To reject the validity of a statement or claim.
The witness denied having seen the accident.

Etymology

Middle English 'denyen', from Anglo-French 'dener', from Latin 'denegare'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

deny a claim
To refuse to accept that a claim is true.
deny access
To prevent someone from entering a place.
deny responsibility
To state that one is not responsible for something.

Related Words

refusal
The act of saying no or rejecting something.
rejection
The act of dismissing or refusing something.
disavow
To deny any responsibility or support for something.

Slang Meanings

To ignore or pretend something didn't happen.
He just denied everything that went down last night.
To be in denial about a situation.
She's in denial about her spending habits.