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
Your character Ella is in a state of denial and exhaustion for much of the play.
—
Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
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
As the body count rose, many leaders remained in a state of denial.
—Larry Brilliant, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2021
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Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2025
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
As the body count rose, many leaders remained in a state of denial.
—Larry Brilliant, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2021
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 29 Oct. 2025.
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