in a state of denial

idiom

: not having fully accepted something
I think she's still in a state of denial about her husband's death.

Examples of in a state of denial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
As the body count rose, many leaders remained in a state of denial. Larry Brilliant, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2021 Must be taking a nap, Hemesath thought to himself, perhaps in a state of denial. Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2022 As the Republican senator and former GOP presidential nominee fairly argues, Americans are, in many ways, trapped in a state of denial about the state of the country. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 5 July 2022 Despite Wednesday’s inflation report indicating that consumer prices have risen by 7% over the past 12 months and accelerated to 9.1% over the past three months, the president and Democrats other than Sen. Joe Manchin remain firmly entrenched in a state of denial. Phil Gramm and Mike Solon, WSJ, 12 Jan. 2022

Dictionary Entries Near in a state of denial

Cite this Entry

“In a state of denial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20a%20state%20of%20denial. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!