nondenial denial
Weaselly seeming rejection
A nondenial denial is a statement that appears to deny an accusation without actually doing so—carefully worded to sound like a refutation while leaving the speaker technically truthful.
Politicians and public figures deploy nondenial denials when they want to seem innocent without committing to a lie: When asked if he'd had an affair, he said only that he loved his wife.
The classic form denies something slightly different from what was alleged, or denies it in language that leaves loopholes.
- nonapologyInsincere expression of regret
- non-apology apologySeeming remorse that admits nothing
- no commentRefusal to speak
- non-contradictionLogical self-agreement principle
- dodgeAvoid by quick movement
careful wording · circumvention · equivocation · prevarication · squirm · impression management · spin · talking points · evasion · fidget · accountability · obfuscation · damage control · weasel words · crisis management · stammer · hedging · elusion
nondenial denialcandor
Unguarded truthfulness
transparency · straight talk · full disclosure · cards on the table
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