denial
Refusing uncomfortable truths
Denial is refusing to acknowledge something as true.
In everyday use, it's rejecting an accusation or claim: The senator issued a denial of the allegations.
Psychologically, denial is an unconscious defense mechanism—refusing to accept painful realities: He's in denial about his drinking.
To be in denial has become common shorthand for anyone avoiding uncomfortable truths they should face.
Act of declining
- rebuffAbrupt, curt rejection
- dismissalRemoval from position
- turndownAct of declining
- declineDecrease or refuse
veto · spurning · nonacceptance · disallowance · nay · nix · repudiation · renunciation
Lack of necessities
- withholdingKeeping from another
- restrictionLimit on action
- refusalAct of declining
- blockageObstruction halting movement
obstruction · embargo · rationing · forbiddance · deprivation · exclusion · barring · prohibition
Unconscious blocking of thoughts
- defense mechanismUnconscious self-protective mental process
- suppressionForcible prevention or concealment
- rationalizationInventing acceptable motives afterward
- projectionSomething that extends outward
avoidance · minimization · dissociation · self-deception · cognitive dissonance · unconscious · ego defense · resistance
Disposition toward doubt
- doubtLack of firm belief
- incredulityInability to accept something
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
- disputationFormal argumentative exchange
distrust · suspicion · disavowal · scoffing · debunking · contradiction · negation · naysaying
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- lyingStating known falsehoods
- deceitDeliberate misleading of others
- minimizationMaking as small as possible
- deflectionChange in trajectory
blame-shifting · scapegoating · rationalization · dismissiveness · stonewalling · evasion · distortion · fabrication
Africa's longest river
Refusal to compromise
- obstinacyUnyielding adherence to position
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- adamantStubbornly refusing to yield
immovable · uncompromising · resistance · entrenchment · doubling down · willful blindness · recalcitrance
refusal
Act of declining
decline · veto · spurning · nonacceptance · disallowance · nay · nix · repudiation · renunciation · objection
privation
Lack of necessities
- withholdingKeeping from another
- restrictionLimit on action
- refusalAct of declining
blockage · obstruction · embargo · rationing · forbiddance · deprivation · exclusion · barring · prohibition · sanction
repression
Unconscious blocking of thoughts
- defense mechanismUnconscious self-protective mental process
- suppressionForcible prevention or concealment
- rationalizationInventing acceptable motives afterward
projection · avoidance · minimization · dissociation · self-deception · cognitive dissonance · unconscious · ego defense · resistance · escapism
skepticism
Disposition toward doubt
- doubtLack of firm belief
- incredulityInability to accept something
- questioningSeeking answers through inquiry
disputation · distrust · suspicion · disavowal · scoffing · debunking · contradiction · negation · naysaying · challenge
gaslighting
Manipulation causing self-doubt
- lyingStating known falsehoods
- deceitDeliberate misleading of others
- minimizationMaking as small as possible
deflection · blame-shifting · scapegoating · rationalization · dismissiveness · stonewalling · evasion · distortion · fabrication · invalidation
Nile
Africa's longest river
intransigence
Refusal to compromise
- obstinacyUnyielding adherence to position
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
adamant · immovable · uncompromising · resistance · entrenchment · doubling down · willful blindness · recalcitrance
- Application Processresume, cover letter, interview, reference, background check
- bad decisionsprocrastination, impulse buying, overspending, binge eating, cramming
- Coping Strategiesavoidance, coping, stress management, acceptance, rationalization
- emotional changehealing, heartbreak, falling in love, grief, recovery
- excusesexcuse, not my fault, overslept, alibi, excuses
- formal statementsdeclaration, statement, assertion, affirmation, attestation
denialacknowledgment
Confirmation of receipt
admission · acknowledgement · affirmation · confirmation · acceptance
denialapproval
Favorable opinion given
grant · permission · allowance · sanction · authorization
denialacceptance
Consent to receive
acknowledgment · acknowledgement · confrontation · coming to terms · reckoning
- access deniedEntry permission withheld
- permission deniedAccess refusal message
- plausible deniabilityArranged protection from accountability
- climate denialRejecting scientific consensus on warming
- climate denierOne rejecting greenhouse theory
- denial of serviceAttack disabling network access
denied, undeniable, undeniably, denials, deniable, denier, deniability, denialist, denialists