Denial" most commonly refers to psychological denial, a defense mechanism where a person refuses to acknowledge reality to avoid discomfort or anxiety. It can also refer to the denial of a request or statement, a stage in the Kubler-Ross model of grief where individuals reject the reality of a loss, or the film Denial (2016), which depicts a legal battle over Holocaust denial.

Psychological Denial

What it is:
An unconscious way people protect themselves from overwhelming or stressful situations by refusing to accept objective facts or reality.