DENY Synonyms: 105 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'deny' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deny are contradict , contravene , and gainsay . While all these words 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

Q: When is it sensible to use 'contradict' instead of 'deny'?

The meanings of contradict and deny largely overlap; however, contradict implies an open or flat denial. // her account contradicts his

Q: When can 'contravene' be used instead of 'deny'?

The words contravene and deny are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility. // laws that contravene tradition

Q: When could 'gainsay' be used to replace 'deny'?

The synonyms gainsay and deny are sometimes interchangeable, but gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said. // no one can gainsay her claims

deny

verb

di-ˈnī

Definition of deny

as in to refute

to declare not to be true the congressman denied all charges of wrongdoing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to refuse

to be unwilling to grant the director denied access to the top secret files to all but those with a need to know

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to reject

to refuse to acknowledge as one's own or as one's responsibility in a futile attempt to get out of the contract, he even denied his own signature

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deny differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deny are contradict, contravene, and gainsay. While all these words 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

When is it sensible to use contradict instead of deny?

The meanings of contradict and deny largely overlap; however, contradict implies an open or flat denial.

her account contradicts his

When can contravene be used instead of deny?

The words contravene and deny are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, contravene implies not so much an intentional opposition as some inherent incompatibility.

laws that contravene tradition

When could gainsay be used to replace deny?

The synonyms gainsay and deny are sometimes interchangeable, but gainsay implies disputing the truth of what another has said.

no one can gainsay her claims

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 deny The judge ultimately ruled in the prosecutions favor, further denying Davis' other motion to fully sequester the jury. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 30 June 2026 The two housekeepers denied having such a conversation with Brown, noting language differences would have made such a discussion unlikely. — Chris Willman, Variety, 1 July 2026 The author — who first came under fire in 2020 for making remarks widely condemned as transphobic — has denied being transphobic, defending her views as pro-feminist. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Last week, Iraq's Oil Ministry denied reports suggesting Baghdad was about to follow in the footsteps of the UAE and end its OPEC membership. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for deny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deny

Verb

Four fisher people from Indonesia’s Pari Island filed a legal complaint in 2023 against the Swiss construction company Holcim, which refutes their assertion that its climate change-causing emissions threaten their homes and livelihoods.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Wainger also refuted the assertion that Pennel had expected to be arrested.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026

Definition of refute

Verb

Hamas’ statement made no mention of disarmament, one of the key requirements under the second phase of the ceasefire deal, which the group has so far refused.

— Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
To conceal the theft from his investors, Correia refused to disclose his company’s financial records and gave false positive updates on SnoOwl’s status.

— Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 6 July 2026

Definition of refuse

Verb

Critics see it as another attempt to breathe life into claims that courts, investigators and election officials have repeatedly rejected — and another corrosive attempt to undermine faith in the state’s vote.

— Adam Beam, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
Questioning, if not rejecting, established Christian doctrine, Ahab also comes to regard Moby Dick as the outward and visible sign, the physical embodiment of the indifference or, worse, utter malignity inherent in the universe.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026

Definition of reject

Verb

Over the same period, entry-level head count at the high-intensity firms rose 12%, contradicting predictions and fears that young or inexperienced workers would be most at risk of losing their jobs to AI.

— Rachel Barber, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Jorge Rodríguez, the president of the National Assembly, announced Monday that the official toll stood at 1,719 people killed and 5,000 injured, and warned the public against sharing information that contradicted authorities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026

Definition of contradict

Verb

The stark disagreements over the moral values underlying our legal tradition are no reason for liberals to disavow a moral approach to legal interpretation.

— Jeannie Suk Gersen, New Yorker, 2 July 2026
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images Her employer, French sports daily L'Equipe, disavowed the comments and also apologized to Doku in a statement late Sunday, saying the remarks did not represent its values.

— CBS News, CBS News, 24 June 2026

Definition of disavow

Cite this Entry

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“Deny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deny. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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