denys
B2Formal to Neutral
Definition
Meaning
to state that something is not true; to refuse to allow someone to have or do something
to refuse to acknowledge or accept; to reject a request or claim; to withhold something from someone
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a deliberate, often official or forceful, refusal or contradiction. Can involve rejecting truth, access, rights, or requests.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use 'deny' similarly. Slight preference for 'deny someone something' in US English; 'refuse' may be more common in UK English for some physical refusals.
Connotations
Often carries a legal, official, or serious tone in both varieties. Can imply an accusation is being countered.
Frequency
High frequency in legal, journalistic, and formal contexts in both UK and US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
deny + noun/claimdeny + that-clausedeny + -ing formdeny + someone + somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Deny oneself (to go without)”
- “There's no denying (it is certainly true)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The company denied reports of a merger.
Academic
The study's findings deny the previously held hypothesis.
Everyday
He denied eating the last biscuit.
Technical
The firewall can deny access to specific IP addresses.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The minister denied all knowledge of the affair.
- She was denied entry to the club.
American English
- The spokesperson flatly denied the allegations.
- He can't deny the evidence in front of him.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I did not break the vase!' he denied.
- They denied him a second piece of cake.
- The government has denied any involvement in the scandal.
- She denied stealing the documents.
- Despite the photo evidence, he continued to deny being at the scene.
- The judge denied the defendant's request for bail.
- The philosopher's argument seems to deny the very possibility of objective truth.
- His cautious wording did not amount to a denial but fell short of an affirmation.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'DE-NY' as 'saying NO in New York' – a firm refusal.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRUTH IS A POSSESSION (to deny is to refuse to give/accept it); REJECTION IS PUSHING AWAY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'отрицать' in all contexts. For refusing a request, 'отказывать' may be more accurate. 'Deny access' is лучше перевести как 'запретить доступ', а не 'отрицать доступ'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'refuse' + 'that-clause' (He refused that he was involved. -> INCORRECT). Using 'deny' + infinitive (He denied to take it. -> INCORRECT).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'deny' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Deny' usually means to state something is not true or to withhold something. 'Refuse' means to indicate unwillingness to do something or to accept something. You deny an allegation but refuse an offer.
No. 'Deny' is followed by a noun, a gerund (-ing form), or a 'that'-clause. (e.g., He denied taking it. / He denied that he took it.)
It means the act of not allowing yourself to have or do things you want, often for moral or religious reasons.
It is primarily a dynamic verb, as it describes an action of refusal or contradiction. However, in some contexts (e.g., 'I deny this'), it can have stative properties describing a current position.