denied
HighFormal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
To state that something is not true or to refuse a request or access.
To refuse to admit the truth or existence of; to withhold something requested or desired; to reject a claim or assertion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The past tense and past participle of 'deny'. Often carries a legal, official, or serious connotation. Implies a conscious, authoritative refusal or contradiction.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slight variation in legal phrasing and frequency in certain formal contexts.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of refusal and contradiction in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American legal and news media.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
deny + noun/accusation (He denied the allegations.)deny + that-clause (She denied that she was involved.)deny + -ing form (They denied taking the funds.)deny + indirect object + direct object (The court denied him bail.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly for 'denied', but related to 'deny': 'deny oneself' (to go without), 'there's no denying' (it is obviously true).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports of rejected claims, applications, or permissions. (e.g., 'The loan was denied.')
Academic
Used to discuss logical contradiction, refutation of hypotheses, or historical rejection of rights. (e.g., 'The theory was denied by subsequent evidence.')
Everyday
Used for personal refusals or contradictions. (e.g., 'He denied eating the last biscuit.')
Technical
Common in legal and computing contexts (e.g., 'access denied', 'the motion was denied').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The minister denied all knowledge of the meeting.
- She was denied entry to the club.
American English
- The company denied the allegations of fraud.
- He was denied a promotion.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable (no standard adverbial form).
American English
- Not applicable (no standard adverbial form).
adjective
British English
- The denied applicant sought a review.
- A denied claim must be appealed.
American English
- The denied request was resubmitted.
- She handled the denied visa case.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He denied it.
- She denied the story.
- The athlete denied using illegal substances.
- My request for a day off was denied.
- The spokesman categorically denied rumours of a merger.
- Justice was denied to the victims for many years.
- The historian's thesis was denied by the discovery of new archival evidence.
- The court denied the defendant's motion to dismiss the case.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'denial' as saying 'DIE' to a claim—you are 'killing' its truth. DENIED = Declared Entirely Not In Evidence, Done.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRUTH IS A RESOURCE (to deny is to withhold it). REQUEST/ACCESS IS A PATH (to deny is to block the path).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'отрицать' for simple negation; 'deny' is an active refutation of a specific claim. Do not use for 'refuse' in all contexts (e.g., 'He refused to go' is not 'denied to go').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'deny' + infinitive (e.g., 'He denied to do it' – INCORRECT). Using 'deny' as a synonym for all types of 'refuse'. Spelling: 'denyed' is incorrect.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'denied' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes. It relates to refusal, contradiction, or rejection, which are typically negative from the perspective of the person being denied.
'Denied' often implies a refusal based on authority, rules, or contradiction of a truth claim. 'Rejected' is broader and can apply to things, ideas, or people, often based on quality or suitability.
Rarely. In contexts like 'she denied herself luxuries', it implies positive self-discipline, but the core sense of refusal remains.
It is a shortened form of the passive voice verb construction ('Access was denied'), where 'denied' is the past participle.
Explore