1
as in to deny
to declare not to be true
it can't be gainsaid that most people wish they had more time and money
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to contradict
to make an assertion that is contrary to one made by (another)
repeatedly tried to gainsay me, though every point I made was backed up by facts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gainsay
It cannot be gainsaid that the FBI has brought these problems on itself.
—
The Editors, National Review, 12 Dec. 2023
Pelosi in the House was where Alexandra first used show-trial video, making J6 the central illustration of feminist power, yet gainsaying her mother’s involvement in events of that day.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Oct. 2023
None of this is to gainsay the help that western European allies have provided to Ukraine or to minimize the constraints that hamper them from doing more.
—A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 5 July 2023
There are a lot of arguments that can be put forward to gainsay the importance of this set of charges.
—Tyler Foggatt, The New Yorker, 17 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for gainsay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gainsay
Verb
-
In 2023, mortgage applications from Black borrowers were denied twice as often as those from white borrowers.—
-
There’s no denying that being a member of a bridal party is a commitment.—
Verb
-
This contradicts the precedent set by prior direct payments, such as the Covid-19 stimulus checks, which were heavily weighted toward lower-income Americans and could create a political quagmire for Trump.—
-
Trump’s own administration has contradicted that claim, The Associated Press reported.—
Verb
-
While Kansas public health officials called it the largest U.S. concentration of the disease since recording began in the 1950s, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has refuted this, citing two larger episodes in the past.—
-
Nicole’s lawyer, Bruce Weil of law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, refutes that claim, saying that Dr. Wertheim never made such an offer.—
Verb
-
Never the favorite of his party's professional advisers, Merz was twice rejected as Merkel's successor as party leader, in 2018 and 2021, before his doggedness won out in 2022.—
-
Today, far-right parties like the AfD seek to embrace a different model that rejects political integration in favor of an economic union along the lines of earlier, postwar integration.—
Cite this Entry
“Gainsay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gainsay. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share