Ontkennen
Example: Hij kan niet ontkennen dat hij fout was.
Definition
"Ontkennen" means to deny or refuse to admit the truth or existence of something. For example, in the sentence 'Hij kan niet ontkennen dat hij fout was,' it refers to the act of not being able to deny that he was wrong.
Etymology
The Dutch verb "ontkennen" comes from the prefix 'ont-' meaning 'un-' or 'dis-' and the verb 'kennen' meaning 'to know.' So, it literally means 'to not know' or 'to disavow.' Did you know that the root 'kennen' is related to the English word 'can' in old usage, both tied to knowledge or ability?
Learn to use this word actively
"Ontkennen" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - (B1) - set 4", containing 113 commonly used words.
Would you like to not only understand these words, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select Dutch as the language you want to learn.
Create a free account
