denied

8 synonyms and 6 antonyms for denied, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — Past tense and past participle of deny: to have refused to grant or allow something that was asked for.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

declined

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

disputed

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

refused rejected turned down contradicted refuted disavowed

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

Past tense and past participle of deny: to have refused to grant or allow something that was asked for.

“His visa application was denied without explanation.”

refused rejected turned down declined

Opposites

granted approved allowed

2. verb

Past tense and past participle of deny: to have stated that something is not true.

“She denied any knowledge of the payments.”

disputed contradicted refuted disavowed

Opposites

admitted confessed acknowledged

How to use denied

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

denied entry claim denied flatly denied access denied

Neutral; extremely common in legal, insurance and news writing.

Etymology

From Old French denier, from Latin denegare 'to refuse, say no', from de- 'completely' plus negare 'to say no'.

Full origin of denied →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between denied and rejected?

Denied normally answers a request or an accusation: a request is denied, an allegation is denied. Rejected is broader and applies to things offered or submitted, such as a manuscript, a transplant organ or a bank card.

What does it mean if my claim was denied?

It means the insurer or agency reviewed it and refused to pay or approve it. A denial is a decision, not the end of the matter, and most systems allow you to appeal or resubmit with more evidence.

People also searched

allowed granted approved admitted declined acknowledged disputed confessed contradicted disavowed

Nearby words

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