Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Denial
1.
The act of gainsaying, refusing, or disowning; negation; – the contrary of
affirmation
. You ought to converse with so much sincerity that your bare affirmation or
denial
may be sufficient. Bp. Stillingfleet.
2.
A refusal to admit the truth of a statement, charge, imputation, etc.; assertion of the untruth of a thing stated or maintained; a contradiction.
3.
A refusal to grant; rejection of a request.
The commissioners, . . . to obtain from the king’s subjects as much as they would willingly give, . . . had not to complain of many peremptory
denials
. Hallam.
4.
A refusal to acknowledge; disclaimer of connection with; disavowal; – the contrary of confession;
as, the
denial
of a fault charged on one; a denial
of God.Denial of one's self
, a declining of some gratification; restraint of one's appetites or propensities; self-denial.
Webster 1828 Edition
Denial
DENIAL
, n.1.
An affirmation to the contrary; an assertion that a declaration or fact stated is not true; negation; contradiction. It is often expressed by no or not, simply.2.
Refusal to grant; the negation of a request or petition; the contrary to grant, allowance or concession; as, his request or application met with a direct denial.3.
A rejection, or refusing to acknowledge; a disowning; as a denial of God: or a refusing to receive or embrace; as a denial of the faith or the truth.4.
A denial of ones self, is a declining of some gratification; restraint of ones appetites or propensities.Definition 2024
denial
denial
English
Noun
denial (plural denials)
- (logic) The negation in logic.
- The denial of "There might be X" is the null, "False, there is no X."
- A refusal to comply with a request.
- Every time we asked for an interview we got a denial.
- An assertion of untruth.
- The singer has issued a sweeping denial of all the rumors.
- Refusal to believe a problem exists
- 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:
- Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures.
- We couldn't break through his denial about being alcoholic.
-
- (dated, psychology) A defense mechanism involving a refusal to accept the truth of a phenomenon or prospect.
- 2007 Feb. 11, "No facts, just emotion," Washington Times (retrieved 11 June 2013):
- "Denial" came out of the therapyspeak prevalent in the middle of the 20th century, especially as it was applied to confronting the reality of mortality. It was popularized as the first stage of grief, and quickly expanded to include refusal to confront any bad news or disturbing ideas.
- He is in denial that he has a drinking problem.
- 2007 Feb. 11, "No facts, just emotion," Washington Times (retrieved 11 June 2013):
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
negation in logic
refusal to comply with a request
assertion of untruth
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refusal to believe a problem exists
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