disavow
Refuse to acknowledge
To disavow is to deny responsibility for, knowledge of, or association with something: The agency disavowed any involvement in the operation.
It implies formal or emphatic rejection—stronger than simply denying.
You might disavow a statement attributed to you, disavow a former ally, or disavow beliefs you once held.
The noun is disavowal.
Abandon completely
- abandonLeave behind permanently
- disownReject connection to
- disinheritRevoke bequest rights
- castoffDiscarded item or person
renounce · relinquish · desert · jettison · divest · discard · dispossess · spurn
Reject as having no authority
- disclaimDeny connection or responsibility
- denyRefuse to admit
- disaffirmLegally reject or void
- negateCancel or disprove
contradict · refute · rebuff · gainsay · dispute · reject · declination · nonacceptance
Formally withdraw a statement
- withdrawRemove or pull away
- backtrackReverse one's position
- rescindFormally cancel or withdraw
- reverseTurn to opposite
retract · unsay · take back · walk back · countermand · revoke · annul · repeal
Exclude from a group
- excommunicateExpel from church membership
- shunDeliberately keep away
- blacklistRecord of prohibited entities
- blackballExclude by negative vote
banish · expel · disaffiliate · disfellowship · boycott · exile · oust · bar
Abandoning one's loyalty
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
- recantationFormal withdrawal of statement
- abjurationSworn repudiation of allegiance
- forswearingFormally rejecting or abandoning
perfidy · treachery · disloyalty · faithlessness · reneging · desertion · treason · turncoat
forsake
Abandon completely
- abandonLeave behind permanently
- disownReject connection to
- disinheritRevoke bequest rights
castoff · renounce · relinquish · desert · jettison · divest · discard · dispossess · spurn · estrange
repudiate
Reject as having no authority
negate · contradict · refute · rebuff · gainsay · dispute · reject · declination · nonacceptance · abnegate
recant
Formally withdraw a statement
reverse · retract · unsay · take back · walk back · countermand · revoke · annul · repeal · abrogate
ostracize
Exclude from a group
- excommunicateExpel from church membership
- shunDeliberately keep away
- blacklistRecord of prohibited entities
blackball · banish · expel · disaffiliate · disfellowship · boycott · exile · oust · bar · outcast
defection
Abandoning one's loyalty
- apostasyRenunciation of former beliefs
- recantationFormal withdrawal of statement
- abjurationSworn repudiation of allegiance
forswearing · perfidy · treachery · disloyalty · faithlessness · reneging · desertion · treason · turncoat · disaffection
- reversalsreverse, undo, revert, overturn, flip
- cancelcancel, annul, nullify, invalidate, revoke
- disagreementsdisagree, argue, dispute, quarrel, argument
- giving upgive up, giving up, quit, quitting, surrender
- opposeoppose, resist, defy, reject, refuse
- defectiondefection, defect, defector, turncoat, desertion