# denying

/dɪˈnaɪɪŋ/ (US) · /dɪnˈaɪɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/denying
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. saying something is false

verb · CEFR B1

saying that a statement or accusation is not true.

For teachers: stating that an allegation or reported fact is untrue; the present participle of the transitive verb 'deny'.

- The suspect is still denying any involvement in the robbery.
- Despite the overwhelming forensic evidence presented by the prosecution, the defendant persisted in denying his presence at the scene of the crime.

Usage: Often followed by a noun phrase or a gerund (-ing form).

### 2. refusing a request

verb · CEFR B2

refusing to let someone have something or do something.

For teachers: refusing to grant a request or withholding access to a privilege or resource.

- The bank is denying her a loan because of her poor credit history.
- By denying the refugees entry at the border, the local authorities faced significant criticism from international human rights organisations.

Usage: Can take a double object (denying someone something).

### 3. the act of denial

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of saying no to something or refusing to admit the truth.

For teachers: the action of declaring something to be untrue or the act of withholding something.

- His constant denying of the facts made it impossible to solve the problem.
- The persistent denying of basic civil liberties eventually led to a widespread public uprising against the regime.

Usage: Often followed by 'of' when used as a gerundive noun.

## Examples

- He is denying the rumors about his new job.
- The government is denying the request for more funding despite the clear need for new schools.
- By denying the existence of any structural flaws in the bridge, the engineers inadvertently delayed the necessary repairs until the damage became visible to the public.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.