deny
dih-NEYE
Deny (verb) means to state that something is not true. Example: “He denied stealing the money, even with the evidence against him.”
verb
1
To state that something is not true.
"He denied stealing the money, even with the evidence against him."
"The company denied any wrongdoing in its official statement."
"She denied breaking the vase, though the cat looked suspiciously guilty."
2
To refuse to give someone something they want or ask for.
"The landlord denied their request for an extension."
"She felt denied the recognition she deserved after years of hard work."
"The library denied him entry because he had forgotten his membership card."
How to use deny
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo say something isn't true, or to refuse to allow someone something.
Common mistake
Don't confuse "deny" (say it isn't true) with "refuse" (decline to do something) — they overlap but aren't always interchangeable.
Common pairings
flatly deny
deny the allegations
deny a request
deny access
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- denies
- Past tense
- denied, denyed
- Archaic forms
- deniest, denieth
Etymology
From Old French denoier, from Latin denegare ("to refuse utterly"), built from de- ("away") and negare ("to say no").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for deny
See all rhymes for deny →Frequently asked questions
What does “deny” mean?
The word “deny” means to state that something is not true. In plain terms, to say something isn't true, or to refuse to allow someone something.
How do you pronounce “deny”?
“Deny” is pronounced dih-NEYE (/dəˈnaɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “deny” in a sentence?
Here is “deny” used in a sentence: “He denied stealing the money, even with the evidence against him.”
What part of speech is “deny”?
“Deny” is a verb.
Where does the word “deny” come from?
The word “deny” comes from Latin. From Old French denoier, from Latin denegare ("to refuse utterly"), built from de- ("away") and negare ("to say no").
Is “deny” a common word?
“Deny” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “deny” have?
“Deny” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to state that something is not true.
What is the difference between deny and refuse?
To deny is to state that something is not true, as in denying an accusation. To refuse is to decline to give or do something someone wants; 'deny' can also carry this second meaning when you deny someone a request, but 'refuse' never means to call a statement false.
What is the difference between deny and refute?
To deny is simply to state that something is not true, without necessarily offering proof. To refute goes further and means to prove a claim false with evidence or argument, so refuting is a stronger, more demanding act than merely denying.
What is the difference between deny and denounce?
To deny is to state that something is not true or to refuse someone something. To denounce is to publicly condemn a person or action as wrong; the two are unrelated in meaning despite sometimes appearing in similar contexts.
Which preposition follows deny?
'Deny' is a transitive verb and usually takes a direct object with no preposition, as in 'deny the charge' or 'deny someone access'. Avoid saying 'deny of'; the correct patterns are 'deny something' or 'deny someone something'.
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