denialde‧ni‧al /dɪˈnaɪəl/ ●○○ AWL noun 
The government issued an official denial of the rumour.denial that denials that border security had not been strict enough2[uncountable] when someone refuses to allow someone else to have or to do somethingdenial of protests against the denial of human rights3[uncountable] a condition in which you refuse to admit or believe that something bad exists or has happenedin denial His girlfriend is in denial, and refuses to admit that he will soon die.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa strong denial· When the accusation was made, it met with a strong denial.a vehement/vigorous denial (=very strong)· The report led to vehement denials from the minister involved.a categorical denial (=saying very definitely that something is not true)· Her categorical denial conflicted with the evidence.an angry denial· There were angry denials of corruption in the police force.an official denial· The Army has consistently issued official denials of involvement.a public denial· He refused to make any public denial.verbsissue a denial (=deny something publicly or officially)· Immediately the government issued a denial of the rumours.make a denial (=deny something)· He made no public denial of the allegations against him.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- A vigorous round of denials and, yesterday, the suspension of the archivist followed.
- At the medical products firm we mentioned earlier, symptoms of denial were rife.
- Doctrinaire denial of a generational injustice does no justice either to the truth or to the victims.
- I was in a place where I did not want to be in denial of anything.
- It is a denial of democracy to keep smears secret.
- Labour's stunning victory in 1997 left the Tory party in denial about the seriousness of its situation.
- This denial of pain extends to all aspects of life within the work place.
WORD SETS
agoraphobia, nounagoraphobic, noun-aholic, suffixanalyse, verbanalysis, nounanalyst, nounanorexia, nounantidepressant, nounautism, nounbattle fatigue, nounbehaviourism, nounbreakdown, nounbulimia, nouncatharsis, nouncertify, verbclaustrophobia, nouncognition, nouncognitive, adjectivecomplex, nouncompulsive, adjectivecounsel, verbcounselling, nouncrazed, adjectivecrazy, adjectivedefence mechanism, noundelusion, noundemented, adjectivedementia, noundenial, noundepressed, adjectivedepression, noundepressive, adjectivedepressive, nounderanged, adjectivediminished responsibility, noundipsomaniac, noundisordered, adjectivedisturbance, noundysfunctional, adjectiveeating disorder, nouneccentricity, nounego, nounelectric shock therapy, nounemotional, adjectiveexhibitionism, nounextra-sensory perception, nounfixation, nounFreudian, adjectiveFreudian slip, noungroup therapy, nounhallucinate, verbhydrophobia, nounhypnosis, nounhypnotic, adjectivehypnotise, verbhypnotist, nounhypnotize, verbid, nouninferiority complex, nouninsane, adjectiveinsanity, nounkleptomania, nounkleptomaniac, nounlibido, nounlinear, adjectivemaladjusted, adjectivemania, nounmanic, adjectivemanic depression, nounmanic depressive, nounmental, adjectivemental age, nounmental hospital, nounmentally handicapped, adjectivemidlife crisis, nounmisogynist, nounmixed up, adjectivenerve, nounnervous, adjectivenervous breakdown, nounnervous system, nounneural, adjectiveneuro-, prefixneurology, nounneurosis, nounneurotic, adjectiveobsessive, nounoedipal, adjectiveOedipus complex, nounpadded cell, nounparanoia, nounparanoid, adjectivepathological, adjectivepathology, nounpatterning, nounphallic, adjectivephobia, noun-phobia, suffixphrenology, nounpost-traumatic stress disorder, nounprecognition, nounpsyche, nounpsychiatric, adjectivepsychiatrist, nounpsychiatry, nounpsychic, adjectivepsycho, nounpsycho-, prefixpsychoanalysis, nounpsychoanalyst, nounpsychoanalyze, verbpsychobabble, nounpsychodrama, nounpsychokinesis, nounpsychological, adjectivepsychologist, nounpsychology, nounpsychopath, nounpsychosis, nounpsychosomatic, adjectivepsychotherapy, nounpsychotic, adjectivepyromaniac, nounrepression, nounresidential treatment facility, nounRorschach test, nounsadism, nounsadist, nounsafety valve, nounsanity, nounscar, nounscar, verbschizoid, adjectiveschizophrenia, nounschizophrenic, adjectiveschizophrenic, nounscrewed up, adjectivesocialize, verbsociopath, nounsplit personality, nounsubconscious, adjectivesubconscious, nounsuggestion, nounsuperego, nountherapy, nountorment, nountrance, nountrauma, nounvoyeur, nounwell-adjusted, adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYadjectives Can you give us a categorical assurance that no jobs will be lost?COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· When the accusation was made, it met with a strong denial.
(=very strong)· The report led to vehement denials from the minister involved.
(=saying very definitely that something is not true)· Her categorical denial conflicted with the evidence.
· There were angry denials of corruption in the police force.
· The Army has consistently issued official denials of involvement.
· He refused to make any public denial.
verbs (=deny something publicly or officially)· Immediately the government issued a denial of the rumours.
(=deny something)· He made no public denial of the allegations against him.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Can you give us a categorical assurance that no jobs will be lost?· Bombay: An official denial of moves to end price controls on steel triggered nervous long liquidation across the board.· Despite official denials, William Waldegrave, the health secretary, is unpopular in Downing Street.· The Army has consistently issued official denials of involvement.
NOUN· In any case, self denial was a habit with them.
· Ultimately, only the strength of the denial system enables the sufferer to function at all.
VERB· The Army has consistently issued official denials of involvement.· Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, leader of Inkatha, on June 9 issued a denial of the allegations.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- In many cases where a request has been made, it has met with a flat refusal.
- One or other of them drafted a statement which was a flat denial that he had misbehaved either sexually or politically.
- She had not anticipated a flat refusal.
- There'd been a chorus of objection then and a flat refusal from Becky to stay with the younger children.
WORD FAMILYnoundenialadjectiveundeniableverbdenyadverbundeniably
1[countable, uncountable] a statement saying that something is not truedenial of The government issued an official denial of the rumour.denial that denials that border security had not been strict enough2[uncountable] when someone refuses to allow someone else to have or to do somethingdenial of protests against the denial of human rights3[uncountable] a condition in which you refuse to admit or believe that something bad exists or has happenedin denial His girlfriend is in denial, and refuses to admit that he will soon die.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa strong denial· When the accusation was made, it met with a strong denial.a vehement/vigorous denial (=very strong)· The report led to vehement denials from the minister involved.a categorical denial (=saying very definitely that something is not true)· Her categorical denial conflicted with the evidence.an angry denial· There were angry denials of corruption in the police force.an official denial· The Army has consistently issued official denials of involvement.a public denial· He refused to make any public denial.verbsissue a denial (=deny something publicly or officially)· Immediately the government issued a denial of the rumours.make a denial (=deny something)· He made no public denial of the allegations against him.