denial

denial
An unconscious defense mechanism used to allay anxiety by denying the existence of important conflicts, troublesome impulses, events, actions, or illness. SYN: negation. [M.E., fr, O.Fr., fr. L. denegare, to say no]

* * *

de·ni·al di-'nī(-ə)l n a psychological defense mechanism in which confrontation with a personal problem or with reality is avoided by denying the existence of the problem or reality

* * *

de·ni·al (də-niґəl) a type of defense mechanism in which the existence of unpleasant internal or external realities is kept out of conscious awareness; by being so disavowed they are prevented from causing anxiety.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • denial — de·ni·al /di nī əl/ n 1: refusal to grant or allow something denial of due process denial of a motion 2 a: an assertion that an allegation is false b: a defense asserting that an opposing party s allegations are false compare …   Law dictionary

  • Denial — Single par Sugababes extrait de l’album Change Face A Denial Face B Hey There Delilah [Radio 1 Live Lounge] Sortie …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Denial — De*ni al, n. [See {Deny}.] 1. The act of gainsaying, refusing, or disowning; negation; the contrary of {affirmation}. [1913 Webster] You ought to converse with so much sincerity that your bare affirmation or denial may be sufficient. Bp.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • denial — [dē nī′əl, dinī′əl] n. 1. the act of denying; a saying “no” (to a request, demand, etc.) 2. a statement in opposition to another; contradiction [the denial of a rumor] 3. the act of disowning; repudiation [the denial of one s family] 4. a refusal …   English World dictionary

  • denial — 1520s; see DENY (Cf. deny) + AL (Cf. al) (2). Replaced earlier denyance (mid 15c.). Meaning unconscious suppression of painful or embarrassing feelings first attested 1914 in A.A. Brill s translation of Freud s Psychopathology of Everyday Life ;… …   Etymology dictionary

  • denial — [n] dismissal, refusal of belief in statement abnegation, abstaining, adjuration, brush off, cold shoulder*, contradiction, controversion, declination, disallowance, disapproval, disavowal, disclaimer, dismissing, disproof, dissent, forswearing,… …   New thesaurus

  • denial — ► NOUN 1) the action of denying. 2) Psychology refusal to acknowledge an unacceptable truth or emotion …   English terms dictionary

  • Denial — For the politics of science/history and public policy, see Denialism. For other uses, see Denial (disambiguation). Denial (also called abnegation) is a defense mechanism postulated by Sigmund Freud, in which a person is faced with a fact that is… …   Wikipedia

  • denial — A traverse in the pleading of one party of an allegation of fact asserted by the other; a defense. A response by the defendant to matters) alleged by the plaintiff in the complaint. Under Rules of Civil Procedure, denials must be specific and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • denial — A traverse in the pleading of one party of an allegation of fact asserted by the other; a defense. A response by the defendant to matters) alleged by the plaintiff in the complaint. Under Rules of Civil Procedure, denials must be specific and… …   Black's law dictionary

  • denial — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ firm (esp. BrE), strong, vehement, vigorous ▪ When I asked if she had cheated in the exam, she answered with a vehement denial. ▪ explicit, flat …   Collocations dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”