What does disavow mean?
Definitions for disavow
ˌdɪs əˈvaʊdis·avow
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word disavow.
Princeton's WordNet
disavowverb
refuse to acknowledge; disclaim knowledge of; responsibility for, or association with
"Her husband disavowed her after 30 years of marriage and six children"
Wiktionary
disavowverb
To refuse strongly and solemnly to own or acknowledge; to deny responsibility for, approbation of, and the like; to disclaim; to disown.
He was charged with embezzlement, but he disavows the crime.
disavowverb
To deny; to show the contrary of; to disprove.
Because of her dissatisfaction, she now disavows the merits of socialism.
Etymology: From dis- + avow or from desavouer.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
To Disavowverb
To disown; to deny knowledge of; to deny concurrence in any thing.
Etymology: dis and avow.
The heirs and posterity of them which yielded the same, are, as they say, either ignorant thereof, or do wilfully deny, or stedfastly disavow it. Edmund Spenser, State of Ireland.
The English, that knew his noble spirit, did believe his name was therein abused, which he manifested to be true by disavowing it openly afterwards. John Hayward.
To deal in person is good, when a man’s face breedeth regard, and generally when a man will reserve to himself liberty either to disavow or to expound. Francis Bacon, Essay 48.
A man that acts below his rank, doth but disavow fortune, and seemeth to be conscious of his own want in worth, and doth but teach others to envy him. Francis Bacon, Essay 9.
He only does his conquest disavow,
And thinks too little what they found too much. Dryden.We are reminded by the ceremony of taking an oath, that it is a part of that obedience which we learn from the gospel, expressly to disavow all evasions and mental reservations whatsoever. Joseph Addison, Freeholder.
ChatGPT
disavow
Disavow is a verb that refers to the action of denying any responsibility or support for something or someone. It also refers to denying the truth or validity of something. It is often used in the context where an individual, organization, or entity refuses to acknowledge or accept association, connection, or a particular behavior or act.
Webster Dictionary
Disavowverb
to refuse strongly and solemnly to own or acknowledge; to deny responsibility for, approbation of, and the like; to disclaim; to disown; as, he was charged with embezzlement, but he disavows the crime
Disavowverb
to deny; to show the contrary of; to disprove
Etymology: [F. dsavouer; pref. ds- (L. dis-) + avouer to avow. See Avow, and cf. Disavouch.]
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Disavow
dis-a-vow′, v.t. to disclaim knowledge of, sanction of, or connection with: to disown: to deny.—n. Disavow′al. [O. Fr. desavouer, des—L. dis, away, avouer, to avow.]
Matched Categories
Usage in printed sourcesFrom:
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Anagrams for disavow »
Wavoids
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of disavow in Chaldean Numerology is: 1
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of disavow in Pythagorean Numerology is: 3
Examples of disavow in a Sentence
I have to look at the group. I mean, I don't know what group you're talking about, you wouldn't want me to condemn a group that I know nothing about. I'd have to look. If you would send me a list of the groups, I will do research on them and certainly I would disavow if I thought there was something wrong. You may have groups in there that are totally fine -- it would be very unfair. So give me a list of the groups and I'll let you know.
While Jewish families across America celebrate Passover, the chief spokesman of this White House is downplaying the horror of the Holocaust, sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the President should have known better than to hire him.
You could have accidental meetings. Things like that happen. This was not an accidental meeting. It was a set-up dinner with Kanye, you have to disavow it. It is as simple as that.
Another Democratic challenger:
It is possible to be the president and un-American at the same time, trump’s presidency has made this very clear. Since the beginning of his campaign, and throughout his presidency, Trump’s rhetoric and policies continue to disavow everything we stand for as Americans.
I was very disappointed that he did not disavow what appears to be support from David Duke and the Klan, that is exactly the kind of statement that should be repudiated upon hearing it.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for disavow
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- تنصل منArabic
- отказвам се, отричам сеBulgarian
- distancovat seCzech
- afviseDanish
- verleugnenGerman
- αρνούμαιGreek
- malkonfesiEsperanto
- repudiarSpanish
- انکار کردنPersian
- kiistää, kieltääFinnish
- désapprouver, désavouerFrench
- disavowIrish
- अस्वीकृत करेंHindi
- tagadHungarian
- mengingkariIndonesian
- rinnegareItalian
- לְהִתְכַּחֵשׁHebrew
- უარყოფა, პასუხისმგებლობის მოხსნაGeorgian
- ನಿರಾಕರಿಸುKannada
- � �인하다Korean
- ultioLatin
- verloochenen, ontkennenDutch
- avviseNorwegian
- dezawuowaćPolish
- rejeitarPortuguese
- dezavuareRomanian
- дезавуироватьRussian
- förnekaSwedish
- மறுப்புTamil
- నిరాకరించుTelugu
- ปฏิเสธThai
- reddetmekTurkish
- дезавуюватиUkrainian
- نامنظورUrdu
- từ chốiVietnamese
- אָפּזאָגןYiddish
- 否認Chinese
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"disavow." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 11 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/disavow>.
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