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deny

verb
de·​ny | \ di-ˈnī How to pronounce deny (audio) , dē-\
denied; denying

Definition of deny

transitive verb

1 : to declare untrue denied the allegation
2 : to refuse to admit or acknowledge : disavow denied responsibility for the vandalism
3a : to give a negative answer to denying the petitioners
b : to refuse to grant deny a request was denied a refund
c : to restrain (oneself) from gratification of desires deny himself the foods that he loves
4 archaic : decline
5 : to refuse to accept the existence, truth, or validity of There's no denying her expertise. You can't deny that he's a good singer.
Other Words from deny Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about deny

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Other Words from deny

denyingly \ di-​ˈnī-​iŋ-​lē How to pronounce denyingly (audio) , dē-​ \ adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for deny

deny, gainsay, contradict, contravene mean to refuse to accept as true or valid. deny implies a firm refusal to accept as true, to grant or concede, or to acknowledge the existence or claims of. denied the charges gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said. no one can gainsay her claims contradict implies an open or flat denial. her account contradicts his contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility. laws that contravene tradition

Examples of deny in a Sentence

He denied the report that he would be quitting his job. She denies all the charges that have been made against her. The police deny that racism is a problem in the department. Yes, I was there. I don't deny it. The judge denied their request. a government that denies its citizens basic freedoms
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Recent Examples on the Web

 The 33-year-old prince, who continues to have the support of his father, King Salman, denies any involvement in the slaying. — Fox News, "Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi asked killers not to 'suffocate' him in final words: reports," 11 Sep. 2019 The officer did talk to the former classmate, who denied having anything to do with the vandalism. — John Benson, cleveland.com, "Broadview Heights woman finds animal feces, maple syrup, eggs and powdered sugar on Jeep: Brecksville Police Blotter," 11 Sep. 2019 Even colleges that would support the ability of their athletes to monetize their identities are denied the chance under amateurism rules. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "What Will Happen If the California 'Fair Pay to Play Act' Gets Signed Into Law?," 10 Sep. 2019 Local officials, many from Mr. Erdogan’s party, deny the government is deporting refugees but support the crackdown, saying Syrians must live within the law. — Carlotta Gall, New York Times, "Turkey’s Radical Plan: Send a Million Refugees Back to Syria," 10 Sep. 2019 The Court of Special Appeals ruled last week that Morten — who was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison — was wrongly denied the opportunity to challenge evidence in court. — Baltimore Sun Staff, baltimoresun.com, "Appeals court vacates conviction in Baltimore ‘Chasing a Killer’ case, citing ‘lackluster’ evidence and hearsay testimony," 9 Sep. 2019 There was no denying that the show had struck a vein. — Samantha Highfill, EW.com, "Today will be different: An oral history of The Vampire Diaries pilot," 9 Sep. 2019 Anyone who doesn't respond before that deadline will have their claim denied outright. — Kate Cox, Ars Technica, "Equifax claims administrator says victims must provide more info to claim cash," 9 Sep. 2019 Assuming there is no language in Hazen’s contract requiring the club to grant permission to other teams, the Diamondbacks can deny permission to speak with Hazen if the Red Sox were to ask. — Nick Piecoro, azcentral, "Red Sox front office shakeup has Diamondbacks’ GM Hazen in rumor mill," 9 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deny.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of deny

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for deny

Middle English, from Anglo-French deneier, denier, from Latin denegare, from de- + negare to deny — more at negate

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More Definitions for deny

deny

verb
How to pronounce deny (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of deny

: to say that something is not true
: to refuse to accept or admit (something)
: to refuse to give (something) to someone : to prevent someone from having or receiving (something)

See the full definition for deny in the English Language Learners Dictionary

deny

verb
de·​ny | \ di-ˈnī How to pronounce deny (audio) \
denied; denying

Kids Definition of deny

1 : to declare not to be true “Well, they were a lazy lot—that much you can't deny.”— Mary Norton, The Borrowers
2 : to refuse to grant deny a request
3 :

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