to disavow
33
7.7
- verb
- /ˌdɪs.əˈvaʊ/
- Formal
:
repudiar
- The politician had to disavow any links to the controversial group to maintain public trust.
- disavow any interest
- explicitly disavow
- disavow one's father
Their values explicitly disavow free speech and tolerance.
- Their values explicitly disavow free speech and tolerance.
- Now, remember last week when Trump wouldn't disavow, you know, hate groups?
- Consequently it is neither alien to faith, nor can faith disavow it.
- And you have to push all that away and you have to find some principle by which you would disavow that stuff.
- The key point is that, like flirting, my wearing the Che Guevara T-shirt actually depends on me disavowing it.
- When we don't know the past, we're more likely to disavow the truth, or to say that the truth is unpatriotic.
- Prior to ascending to the vice presidency, she has disavowed few, if any, of her almost Marxist or actual Marxist positions.
- So she is taking care of the feelings that you are disavowing or the needs that you are disavowing inside of you and vice versa.
- And, and the fact that he is like, you know, it's great to see his him disavowed by his mentor who doesn't have to run for Danforth.
Examples
-
Most importantly, they consistently refused to accept an Americanism that required them to disavow their loyalty to their homelands.
Academic text (2000) -
Their values explicitly disavow free speech and tolerance.
-
And we do it under the table so we can disavow any knowledge of it.
Fiction book (2000) -
And you have to push all that away and you have to find some principle by which you would disavow that stuff.
-
And your precious Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.
-
As always, should you or any member of your IMF team be caught or killed the Secretary will disavow all knowledge of your actions.
-
The Libyan government has disavowed any prior knowledge of the attack.
-
But Congress should also take the next step and disavow the practice of tacking anti-environmental riders onto budget bills.
Academic text (1997) -
The secret armies that the U.S. government has-- like the Navy SEALS, Delta Force-- if they are ever captured by the enemy, it may be that their mission requires that the U.S. government disavow any knowledge of these individuals, because to acknowledge the captured member of this team, which is now operating on foreign territory, that could create the possibility of war.
-
Republican nominee Shmuley Boteach, a prominent Orthodox rabbi, called on Pascrell to disavow Qatanani, referencing a litany of his radical words.
Academic text (2013)
Synonyms
∞
2.0
To say that something is not true
69
6.3
To give up a right, belief, job, or position officially
44
8.6
Say publicly that you no longer believe something you said before
41
6.0
To take back a statement or opinion in public
37
5.8
Refuse to accept someone or something and stop having any connection with them
33
8.2
To refuse to accept or be linked to something
5
7.3
Say officially that you do not have a right, responsibility or part in something
3
6.3
Refuse to take the blame for a problem
3
9.9
To give up a belief or support publicly under pressure
Antonyms
How Strongly
- Formal
33
8.2
- Formal
69
6.3
- Formal
33
7.7
- Formal
5
7.3
∞
2.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Disavow comes from the parts dis- meaning 'not' and avow meaning 'to admit or say openly', and avow is like the simple word vow which is also about making a clear statement. So, to disavow something is to say you are 'not' connected to or responsible for it.