denial
/dɪˈnʌɪ(ə)l
/noun [mass noun]
1The action of denying something: she shook her head in denial...
- He denies he is in denial about his performance, and says his confidence is not shaken.
- Professional boxing has remained in denial that the loss of brainpower that so visibly and pitiably afflicts the boxer has nothing to do with the punches he traded for glory and profit for so long.
- The actual distinction isn't so much between informed versus uninformed as between in denial and not in denial.
1.1 [count noun] A statement that something is not true: his pious denials of responsibility...
- They should not be fobbed off with a diet of misleading statements and official denials.
- There have been insinuations, accusations, denials and counter-accusations.
- His later e-mails found their way into the Mail and repeated denials of government officials were shown to be false.
1.2The refusal of something requested or desired: the denial of insurance to people with certain medical conditions...
- Then come the Insurance companies with their denial of the rightful dues to assurers.
- Another obstacle to alcohol screening is concern about denial of insurance coverage if screening information appears in a patient's record.
- Since I have sworn, as have they, to uphold and defend that Covenant, I must respectfully concur in the denial of the request.
Synonyms
refusal, withholding, withdrawal;
rejection, dismissal, rebuff, repulse, declination, veto, turndown
informal thumbs down, red light, knock-back
1.3Refusal to acknowledge an unacceptable truth or emotion or to admit it into consciousness, used as a defence mechanism: I was an addict in denial...
- Some people have also referred to this approach as the ‘ostrich’ approach as often it involves the use of defence mechanisms such as denial and repression.
- Offering medications to patients in denial of their illness means that they have to confront their worst nightmare and acknowledge that they are very sick.
- Millions of Americans are in denial about their drug use and should seek treatment, according to a 2001 survey.
1.4 short for self-denial.
1.5Refusal to acknowledge someone as one’s leader.The opening scene sets the stage for the denial episode at the end of the passage and encases the mockery of law in the center....
- The Denial of Saint Peter is a painting finished around 1610 by the Italian painter Caravaggio.
