DISOWN Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

disown

verb

(ˌ)dis-ˈōn

Definition of disown

as in to deny

to declare not to be true he steadfastly disowned that he was having an affair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to refuse

to refuse to acknowledge as one's own or as one's responsibility the dictatorial father angrily disowned his rebellious son

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 disown They may be cut off from financial resources, disowned, or stripped of personal property and communal safety nets. — Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026 The same fiber that the broader industry is scrambling to disown is also winding deeper, tighter—and, indeed, faster—into the Chinese economy. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2026 When Mary won’t give up the baby, she’s disowned by patriarch Whitelaw (Ed Harris) and exiled to New Jersey from her family’s palatial Long Island estate. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026 Everyone is looking for the next Sam Darnold, and there might not be a better candidate than Jones — the 2021 first-round pick disowned by a team in the AFC East only to spend a year with the 49ers before blossoming elsewhere. — Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disown

Recent Examples of Synonyms for disown

Verb

His opponent claimed that created a conflict of interest, which Weiser denied.

— Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 1 July 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

Definition of deny

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

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

Browse Nearby Words

disorients

disown

disowned

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“Disown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disown. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of disown

verb

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