denial
noun
de·ni·al
di-ˈnī(-ə)l
dē-
1
: refusal to satisfy a request or desire
the denial of privileges
2
a(1)
: refusal to admit the truth or reality of something (such as a statement or charge)
their denial of the divine right of kings
(2)
: assertion that an allegation is false
her denial that she was involved
b
: refusal to acknowledge a person or a thing : disavowal
his denial of his youngest son
3
law
: the opposing by the defendant of an allegation (see allegation sense 2) of the opposite party in a lawsuit
their denial of the plaintiff's allegations
4
: self-denial
… a man in denial about his receding hairline.—Playboy
5
logic
: negation sense 1b
6
psychology
: a defense mechanism in which confrontation with a personal problem or with reality is avoided by denying the existence of the problem or reality
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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