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Definitions

disavowal

[dis-uh-vou-uhl] / ˌdɪs əˈvaʊ əl /
NOUN
abdication
Synonyms
STRONGEST
abandonment
STRONG
disclaimer quitclaim renunciation resignation retirement surrender
WEAK
demission stepping down
NOUN
denial
Synonyms
STRONGEST
disapproval rebuttal rejection repudiation retraction veto
STRONG
adjuration brush-off contradiction declination disclaimer disproof dissent forswearing nay negation negative nix nonacceptance prohibition protestation rebuff refutal refutation renouncement renunciation repulse turndown
WEAK
abstaining cold shoulder controversion disallowance dismissing gainsaying noncommittal refraining refusing rejecting renegement repudiating statement abnegation
Antonyms
STRONGEST
allowance approval confirmation ratification sanction
STRONG
agreement permission
WEAK
affirmation avowal claim corroboration vouching
NOUN
desertion
Synonyms
STRONGEST
betrayal
STRONG
abrogation apostasy avoidance backsliding departure derelict dereliction disaffection divorce elusion escape evasion falseness flight forsaking leaving perfidy rejection relinquishment renunciation repudiation resignation retirement retreat secession tergiversation treachery truancy withdrawal
WEAK
absconding castoff defecting departing disavowing falling away going back on marooning recreancy running out on
Antonyms
STRONG
allowance approval arrival coming meeting ratification stay
WEAK
aid assistance help staying
NOUN
disclaimer
Synonyms
STRONGEST
clause retraction waiver
STRONG
abjuration abnegation denial dissociation renunciation
Antonyms
STRONG
approval
NOUN
negation
Synonyms
STRONGEST
antithesis renunciation repudiation
STRONG
antonym blank cancellation contrary converse disclaimer inverse neutralization no nonexistence nothingness nullification nullity opposite opposition proscription refusal rejection reverse vacuity veto void
WEAK
forget it gainsaying negatory
Antonyms
STRONG
OK allowance approval permission ratification same sanction similarity
NOUN
negative
Synonyms
STRONG
denial nay refusal refutation
Antonyms
STRONG
approval
WEAK
positive
NOUN
palinode
Synonyms
WEAK
abjuration abnegation about-face abrogation annulment backpedaling backtracking contradiction contraversion denial disclaimer disowning forswearing gainsaying nullification recall recantation reneging renouncing repudiation retractation reversal revocation unsaying volte-face withdrawal
NOUN
quitclaim
Synonyms
STRONG
abandonment abjuration abnegation abstention cancellation denial disclaimer forswearing rebuff refusal relinquishment remission renouncement renunciation repeal repudiation resignation sacrifice self-abnegation self-denial self-sacrifice surrender veto waiver yielding
WEAK
demission eschewal eschewing forbearing giving up spurning
Antonyms
STRONG
OK agreement allowance approval claim permission ratification sanction
NOUN
recantation
Synonyms
STRONG
abjuration abnegation about-face abrogation annulment contradiction denial disclaimer disowning forswearing nullification recall repudiation reversal revocation volte-face withdrawal
WEAK
backpedaling backtracking contraversion gainsaying palinode reneging renouncing retractation unsaying
Antonyms
STRONG
agreement approval confirmation corroboration restoration
NOUN
refusal
Synonyms
STRONGEST
ban defiance exclusion noncompliance rejection reversal veto
STRONG
abnegation choice declension declination disapproval disclaimer disfavor dissent enjoinment forbidding interdiction negation nix no nonacceptance option pass prohibition proscription rebuff refutation regrets renouncement renunciation repudiation repulse repulsion turndown withholding writ
WEAK
cold shoulder disallowance discountenancing knockback nonconsent thumbs-down
Antonyms
STRONGEST
acceptance allowance approval permission ratification sanction
STRONG
agreement attraction confirmation endorsement
WEAK
OK grant offer
NOUN
relinquishment
Synonyms
STRONG
abandonment abjuration abnegation abstention cancellation denial disclaimer forswearing quitclaim rebuff remission renouncement renunciation repeal repudiation resignation sacrifice self-abnegation self-denial self-sacrifice surrender veto waiver yielding
WEAK
demission eschewal eschewing forbearing giving up spurning
Antonyms
STRONG
agreement allowance approval claim permission ratification sanction
NOUN
renunciation
Synonyms
STRONGEST
repudiation
STRONG
abdication abjuration abnegation abstention cancellation denial disclaimer forswearing rebuff refusal relinquishment remission renouncement repeal resignation sacrifice self-abnegation self-denial self-sacrifice surrender veto waiver yielding
WEAK
eschewal eschewing forbearing giving up spurning
Antonyms
STRONG
OK agreement allowance approval claim permission sanction
WEAK
condonement
NOUN
repudiation
Synonyms
STRONGEST
renunciation
STRONG
abjuration disaffirmation disclaimer disowning
WEAK
disaffirmance disclamation
Antonyms
WEAK
acknowledgment confirmation ratification
NOUN
repudiation
Synonyms
STRONGEST
abrogation cancellation disapproval
STRONG
refusal
Antonyms
STRONGEST
approval
WEAK
acknowledgment confirmation ratification
NOUN
retractation
Synonyms
WEAK
abjuration abnegation about-face abrogation annulment backpedaling backtracking contradiction contraversion denial disclaimer disowning forswearing gainsaying nullification palinode recall recantation reneging renouncing repudiation reversal revocation unsaying volte-face withdrawal
NOUN
retraction
Synonyms
STRONG
abandonment nullification recantation rescission
WEAK
palinode
Antonyms
WEAK
confirmation corroboration reaffirmation
NOUN
retraction
Synonyms
STRONGEST
annulment denial disclaimer repudiation reversal
STRONG
abjuration abnegation about-face abrogation contradiction disowning forswearing nullification recall revocation volte-face withdrawal
WEAK
backpedaling backtracking contraversion gainsaying reneging renouncing unsaying
Antonyms
WEAK
confirmation corroboration reaffirmation
NOUN
traversal
Synonyms
STRONG
abnegation adjuration brush-off contradiction declination disaffirmation disapproval disclaimer disproof dissent forswearing nay negation negative nix nonacceptance prohibition protestation rebuff rebuttal refutal refutation rejection renouncement renunciation repudiation repulse retraction statement turndown veto
WEAK
abstaining cold shoulder controversion disaffirmance disallowance dismissing gainsaying noncommittal refraining refusing rejecting renegement repudiating
Antonyms
STRONG
OK acceptance agreement allowance approval confirmation corroboration endorsement permission ratification sanction
NOUN
turndown
Synonyms
STRONG
abnegation ban choice declension declination defiance denial disapproval disclaimer disfavor dissent enjoinment exclusion forbidding interdiction negation nix no nonacceptance noncompliance option pass prohibition proscription rebuff refutation regrets rejection renouncement renunciation repudiation repulse repulsion reversal veto withholding writ
WEAK
cold shoulder disallowance discountenancing knockback nonconsent thumbs-down
Antonyms
STRONG
acceptance acquiescence admittance agreement allowance approval attraction confirmation endorsement inclusion permission ratification sanction welcome
NOUN
withdrawal
Synonyms
STRONGEST
departure disengagement exit exodus resignation retirement
STRONG
abandonment abdication abjuration alienation disclaimer egress egression extraction recall recantation relinquishment repudiation rescission retreat revocation revulsion secession
WEAK
exiting marooning palinode
Antonyms
STRONGEST
arrival coming entrance
WEAK
remainder stay

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It is literature about a disavowal of literature: an illusion of a book that cannot be written.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

“It’s been sad to see the disavowal of every policy position he ever stood for,” says a former senior White House official from the first term who worked with Hassett.

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

Even with ACEP’s disavowal, courts may be reluctant to reopen resolved cases, said Jim Davy, a civil rights lawyer in Philadelphia.

From Scientific American • Oct. 16, 2023

She has since publicly repudiated Putin, adding that her disavowal put her Russian family at risk.

From Washington Post • Dec. 19, 2022

Now that they were shaheed, packing up and running was an even worse affront, a betrayal, a disavowal of the sacrifice her sons had made.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

Vocabulary lists containing disavowal

A Thousand Splendid Suns

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