What is the past tense of "deny"?

The past simple of "deny" is "denied". The suspect denied the allegations in court.

What is the past participle of "deny"?

The past participle of "deny" is "denied". Use it after have/has/had: "I have denied".

What is a common mistake with "deny"?

Wrong: "He denied to accept the promotion.". Correct: "He denied accepting the promotion. (or: He refused to accept the promotion.)". After 'deny', use the gerund (-ing form), not 'to' + infinitive. For refusal, use 'refuse to'.

Conjugation of "Deny" — All Forms, Examples, and Usage

Q: Is "deny" regular or irregular?

"Deny" is a regular English verb. Both past simple and past participle are formed by adding -ed.

Q: How do you pronounce "deny"?

/dɪˈnaɪ/ — Two syllables with stress on the second: de-NY. The final 'y' sounds like 'eye'. Rhymes with 'try', 'fly', 'why'.

Look up another verb

All 12 Tenses of "Deny"

Quick reference table — every tense form of "deny" with the first-person example and a link to the grammar guide for that tense.

Tense	Example (I)	Quick rule
Simple Present	`I deny`	Used for habits, facts, routines, and permanent situations. Full rule →
Simple Past	`I denied`	Used for completed actions at a specific time in the past. Full rule →
Simple Future	`I will deny`	Used for predictions, decisions made at the moment, and promises. Full rule →
Present Continuous	`I am denying`	Used for actions happening right now or temporary situations. Full rule →
Past Continuous	`I was denying`	Used for actions in progress at a specific moment in the past. Full rule →
Future Continuous	`I will be denying`	Used for actions that will be in progress at a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect	`I have denied`	Used for past actions with present relevance, life experiences, or unfinished situations. Full rule →
Past Perfect	`I had denied`	Used for an action that was completed before another past action. Full rule →
Future Perfect	`I will have denied`	Used for an action that will be completed before a specific future time. Full rule →
Present Perfect Continuous	`I have been denying`	Used for actions that started in the past and continue now, with focus on duration. Full rule →
Past Perfect Continuous	`I had been denying`	Used for ongoing actions in the past that continued up to another past moment. Full rule →
Future Perfect Continuous	`I will have been denying`	Used for actions that will have been ongoing up until a specific future time. Full rule →

Past Tense of "Deny" — Denied

The past simple of "deny" is "denied" — formed by adding "-ed". Use it for actions that were completed at a specific time in the past, such as "yesterday", "last week", or "in 2020". For the full grammar of this tense, see our simple past tense guide.

The suspect denied the allegations in court. B1
She denied him access to the building. B1

Past Participle of "Deny" — Denied

The past participle of "deny" is "denied" — the same form as the past simple, since "deny" is a regular verb. Use it after "have/has/had" for perfect tenses ("I have denied") and after "be" for passive voice ("It was denied").

The suspect denied the allegations in court. B1
She denied him access to the building. B1

Is "Deny" Regular or Irregular?

"Deny" is a regular English verb. Its past simple and past participle are both formed by adding "-ed" to give "denied". The 3rd-person singular present is "denies" and the gerund/present participle is "denying".

Conjugation pattern: regular -ed (with spelling change: y to i)

How to Pronounce "Deny" and Its Forms

Deny: /dɪˈnaɪ/ — Stress pattern: oO

Two syllables with stress on the second: de-NY. The final 'y' sounds like 'eye'. Rhymes with 'try', 'fly', 'why'.

Common mispronunciation of "deny"

The final 'y' must sound like 'eye' (diphthong), not like 'ee'. Learners sometimes mispronounce it as de-NEE.

Syllable breakdown: de · ny

How to Use "Deny" — Common Grammar Patterns

Use for both rejecting claims and refusing requests. Can take an object (person/thing) or a that-clause.

S + V + O
S + V + that-clause
S + V + O + access/permission

Example Sentences with "Deny" in Different Tenses

Simple Present: Don't deny yourself the pleasure of taking a vacation. B1
Simple Past: The suspect denied the allegations in court. B1

Common Collocations with "Deny"

deny access
deny responsibility
deny allegations
deny permission
deny a request

When to Use "Deny" vs Similar Verbs

Smart synonyms — when to use each one

refuse — when explicitly declining to give or do something
contradict — when directly stating the opposite of what was
reject — when saying no firmly to a request or

Antonyms: admit, accept, allow, approve, confirm

Common Mistakes with "Deny"

Wrong: She deny often.
Correct: She denys often.
Add "s" to the verb when the subject is third-person singular (he/she/it).

Other Forms of "Deny"

Noun: denial

Conjugation Tables for "Deny"

Negative Forms

Simple present: I do not deny · He does not deny
Simple past: I did not deny · She did not deny
Present perfect: I have not denied · He has not denied

Question Forms

Simple present: Do you deny? · Does he deny?
Simple past: Did you deny?
Present perfect: Have you denied?

Passive Voice (where applicable)

Simple present passive: It is denied
Simple past passive: It was denied
Present perfect passive: It has been denied

Frequently Asked Questions About "Deny"

Is "deny" regular or irregular?: "deny" is a regular verb. Add -ed for past simple and past participle: "denied".
What is the past tense of "deny"?: The simple past of "deny" is "denied".
When do I use simple present vs present continuous with "deny"?: Use simple present for habits, facts, and routines: "I deny every day." Use present continuous for actions happening right now: "I am denying right now."