disavowal

[ dis-uh-vou-uhl ]

noun

1. a disowning; repudiation; denial.

Word History and Origins

Origin of disavowal¹

First recorded in 1740–50; disavow + -al ²

Example Sentences

Coming as it did in the wake of the Penguin update, many people saw disavowal as an easy way to remove spammy backlinks from their site’s profile, encouraging the revised algorithm to look more kindly upon their sites.

From Search Engine Watch

Google itself pointed out in its Help Center at the time that “most sites will not need to use this tool”, but that didn’t stop many from wantonly adding all manner of backlinks to their lists for disavowal.

From Search Engine Watch

It was a rather public disavowal, though the message itself was unclear: Was it now an empty heart?

From The Daily Beast

It could be having to foot his own legal costs—or the sting of a disavowal that dates back to high school.

From The Daily Beast

And Mitt Romney's disavowal of using Wright doesn't necessarily mean that we won't be seeing the reverend's face either.

From The Daily Beast

Mitt Romney made a similarly dramatic disavowal of his former self two week ago.

From The Daily Beast

He, however, afterward retracted this disavowal, and owned Demaratus as his son.

From Project Gutenberg

Not being able to obtain such a disavowal, he pretended that he had actually obtained it.

From Project Gutenberg

These were followed by a partial and temporary suspension only, without any disavowal of the principle.

From Project Gutenberg

No, sir, the want of powers on the part of Mr. Erskine is not the true cause of the disavowal.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Jackson, though expressly enumerating the only causes which led to a disavowal, does not suggest this.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ban
• defiance
• exclusion
• noncompliance
• rejection
• reversal
• veto