denial

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɪˈnaɪ.əl/

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• Rhymes: -aɪəl

denial (countable and uncountable, plural denials)

1. (logic) The negation in logic.

   The denial of "There might be X" is the null, "False, there is no X."

2. A refusal to comply with a request.

   Every time we asked for an interview we got a denial.

3. An assertion of untruth.

   The singer has issued a sweeping denial of all the rumors.

4. Refusal to believe a problem exists
   • 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:

     Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […].  Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures.

   We couldn't break through his denial about being alcoholic.

5. (dated, psychology) A defense mechanism involving a refusal to accept the truth of a phenomenon or prospect.
   • 2007 Feb. 11, "No facts, just emotion," Washington Times (retrieved 11 June 2013):

     "Denial" came out of the therapyspeak prevalent in the middle of the 20th century, especially as it was applied to confronting the reality of mortality. It was popularized as the first stage of grief, and quickly expanded to include refusal to confront any bad news or disturbing ideas.

   He is in denial that he has a drinking problem.

• denialism
• in denial
• non-denial denial

• denier
• deny

• Aldine, Daniel, Delian, Delina, Denali, alined, daniel, deal in, dealin', denail, dienal, enlaid, inlead, lained, lead in, lead-in, leadin', nailed