The police didn't believe his denial.
Source: tatoeba (238338)
Denial
/dɪˈnaɪ.əl/
Synonyms for "denial" (290 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (58)
abjurationabjurementabnegationabrogationabsolute contradictionabstainingagnosticismannulmentanswerargumentatheismbanbereavementbuckingchallengechuckingchucking outcomplete answerconfoundingconfutation
Show 28 more words
Noun(8 words)
Verb(2 words)
deny outingsdeny permission
Strong matches (87)
Noun(12 words)
deprivationdespisaldespisingdespoilmentdestructiondetrimentdisaffirmationdisagreementdisallowancedisapprovaldisavowaldisbeliefdiscarddisclaimerdisclamationdiscountingdiscreditdiscreditingdismissaldisobedience
Show 53 more words
disowningdisownmentdispossessiondisproofdisregarddissentdivestmenteffective rejoindereighteenth amendmentembargoexceptionexclusionexpatriationexpenseforbearanceforbiddanceforbidden fruitforbiddingforfeitforfeitureforswearingfrugalitygainsayinggolden meanhead windheresyholding backignoringimpugnationimpugnmentinability to believeincredulityindexindex expurgatoriusindex librorum prohibitoruminfidelityinhibitioninjunctioninjuryinterdictinterdictioninterdictumlawloserlosinglosing streaklossminimifidianismmisbeliefmoderatenessmoderationnaynegation
Verb(2 words)
dismiss a proposalgainsay
Related words (145)
Noun(24 words)
negationsnegativingnixingno autorizadoold norse neiostrichrefusalrefusalsrefuserefuse to considerrefusingrejectingrejectionrejectionsrepudiationsself-abnegationself-denialself-renunciationspanish ignorarstarvation
Show 4 more words
negativenegative answernixnono nono-nononacceptancenonapprovalnonbeliefnoncompliancenonconsentnonconsiderationnonobservancenothing in excessnullificationnullifidianismobjectionopposingoppositionopposure
Show 99 more words
oppugnationoverthrowoverthrowalpalinodepalinodypassing byperditionpleapleadingpreclusionpreventionprivationprohibitionprohibition partyprohibitory injunctionproscriptionprotestputting awayputting outrebuffrebutmentrebuttalrecallrecantationrefrainingrefusalrefutalrefutationrejectionrenegingrenouncementrenunciationreplyrepressionrepudiationrepulseresistanceresponserestraintrestrictive covenantsretentionretractationretractionrevocationrevokementriposterobberyruinruling outsacrificescoutingselfself-controlself-denialself-disciplineself-masteryself-restraintsobernesssobrietysophrosynespecial demurrerspecial pleadingspoliationspurningsquelchstanding againststatement of defensestatutestrippingsubversionsumptuary lawssuppressionsuspensiontabootaking awaytemperancetemperatenesstergiversationthrowing outthumbs downthumbs-downtotal losstraversalturndownturning outunbeliefunbelievingnessundercurrentunderminingunsayingunwillingnessupsetupsettingvetovolstead actwithdrawalwithholdingzoningzoning laws
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abjuration, abjurement, abnegation, abnegation, abrogation.
- Sentence evidence is available for denial, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wordnet, derived_reverse, opengloss, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "denial".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "denial"
Keep "denial" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "denial" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "denial", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "denial" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
20 entriesassertionasseverationavermentdefencedefence mechanismdefence reactiondefensedefense mechanismdefense reactiondue processdue process of lawforgoingforswearingnegative responsepsychological processrejection
Showing 16 of 20 words.
More specific
4 entriesCollocations
5 entriesdenial letterdenial of accessdenial of permissionstrong denialverbal denial
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
4 entriesTranslations
43 translations across 32 languages.
Arabic
3 entries- إِبَاء noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- إِنْكَار noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- رَفْض noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Armenian
1 entries- մերժում noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Azerbaijani
2 entries- atkaz noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- imtina noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Belarusian
1 entries- адмо́ва noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Bulgarian
1 entries- о́тказ noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Catalan
1 entries- negació noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Chinese Mandarin
2 entries- 抵賴 /抵赖 noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- 拒絕 /拒绝 noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Czech
1 entries- odmítnutí noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Dutch
1 entries- weigering noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Esperanto
1 entries- neo noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Finnish
2 entries- kieltävä vastaus noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- torjuminen noun (refusal to comply with a request)
French
1 entries- refus noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Georgian
1 entries- უარყოფა noun (refusal to comply with a request)
German
3 entries- Absage noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- Verweigerung noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- Zurückweisung noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Hungarian
2 entries- elutasítás noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- megtagadás noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Indonesian
1 entries- penolakan noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Irish
1 entries- éaradh noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Italian
1 entries- rifiuto noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Japanese
2 entries- 拒否 noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- 拒絶 noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Korean
2 entries- 거부 noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- 거절 noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Latin
1 entries- infitiae noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Lithuanian
1 entries- atsisakymas noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Māori
1 entries- aukatinga noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Norwegian
1 entries- nekting m or f nekt noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Old English
1 entries- wiþersæc noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Polish
1 entries- odmowa noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Portuguese
1 entries- negação noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Russian
1 entries- отка́з noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Scottish Gaelic
2 entries- diùltadh noun (refusal to comply with a request)
- àicheadh noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Slovak
1 entries- odmietnutie noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Spanish
1 entries- denegación noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Ukrainian
1 entries- відмо́ва noun (refusal to comply with a request)
Sample sentences
23 total sentences available.
She's in total denial about her husband's philandering.
Source: tatoeba (874570)
Denial of self is not the same as self-denial.
Source: tatoeba (1172513)
I'm in denial.
Source: tatoeba (2106122)
Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "denial"?
Closest matches include abjuration, abjurement, abnegation, abnegation, abrogation.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "denial"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.