Idioms

in denial

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in denial

Unable or unwilling to believe or acknowledge something as true. The house is in terrible condition, and if Carolyn says it isn't, she's in denial. Are you in denial or something? This is a serious issue! A: "Wait, he never said anything about Margaret breaking up with him." B: "Yeah, that's because he's in denial."
See also: denial
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

in denial

in a state of refusing to believe something that is true. Mary was in denial about her illness and refused treatment. Tom doesn't think he's an alcoholic because he's still in denial.
See also: denial
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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References in periodicals archive
In addition, innovative mortgage loan programs by many lenders and greater use of affordable home loan programs sponsored by secondary market institutions may also have contributed to the decline in denial rates.
Statement by Lawrence B. Lindsey, Member, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, U.S. Senate, November 4, 1993
The analysis revealed that the additional information about each applicant substantially reduced the disparity in denial rates but did not eliminate the gap.
Economic factors do explain some of the disparity in denial rates, but race also plays a role.
In conclusion, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's study of mortgage lending patterns in the Boston metropolitan statistical area shows that the large disparities in denial rates revealed by the HMDA date are partially attributable have the fact that black and Hispanic applicants have greater debt burdens, higher loan-too-value ratios, weaker credit histories, and other economic characteristics that lenders view with disfavor.
Statement by Richard F. Syron, President, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, U.S. Senate, February 24, 1993
To the man who replies "Am I heck as like?" when asked if he might be a little racist, being in denial can only mean a cruise down a river whose banks are lined with "f*** lazy thick n***s".
Matthew Norman: Ron deserves tough sentence
This change in the percentage of recovered days is undoubtedly related to our success in denials prevention.
The Mentor[R] Model: care management in the 21st century
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