Definition

The state or quality of being able to deny something, often used in legal or political contexts where someone can claim they were not aware of certain information or actions.

Example

The politician's deniability regarding the scandal allowed him to avoid immediate consequences.

Conversation

Did you hear about the incident at the party last weekend?

Yeah, I did! It sounds like there’s a lot of deniability involved.

Exactly, it makes it hard to know what really happened.

True, everyone seems to have their own version of the story.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Deniability → It is formed from "deny" (from Latin "denegare", meaning to refuse or reject) and the suffix "-ability" (meaning the quality of being able to). The word "deniability" refers to the quality of being able to deny something.

Memory Tip

Think of the ability to 'refuse' or 'reject' something — 'deny' means to refuse, and '-ability' means the quality of being able to do something.

Visually Confused Words