denial

noun

di-ˈnī(-ə)l How to pronounce denial (audio)
Definition of denialnext
1
as in refusal
an unwillingness to grant something asked for our supervisor's denial of unpaid personal leave got mixed reactions from the staff

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rejection
a refusal to confirm the truth of a statement the senator issued a flat denial of the accusation against her

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of denial Hellerstein’s decision came after a federal appeals court last year ordered him to reconsider his prior denial. — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 In voting to recommend denial of the rezoning, Planning Board member Michael Cole cited Berst’s concerns. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026 Improve home-health billing, claims submission, denial management, legacy accounts receivable, revenue-cycle dashboards, and financial sustainability. — Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026 The release follows a federal judge's Wednesday denial of Minnesota's request for a temporary restraining order to halt Christian Castro's release. — CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for denial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for denial
  1. refusal
  2. rejection
Noun
  • The government said the designation stemmed from Anthropic’s refusal to accept contractual terms, not its views on AI safety.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Haakon’s refusal to go along with German demands garnered respect among his people.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of refusal
Noun
  • But there’s also a subtle rejection of the earnest wokeness of years past.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But her part ultimately was cut from the film, which Hart said in a 2011 interview with SheKnows helped teach her about rejection.
    — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of rejection

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denes
denial
denials
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Cite this Entry

“Denial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/denial. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on denial

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about denial

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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