denied coming

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "denied coming" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express a refusal to attend or arrive at an event, but the construction is awkward and unclear. Example: "She denied coming to the party, stating she had other commitments."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

She denied coming from the German left; she had come from German philosophy.

The New Yorker

She denied coming to Isleworth Crown Court to "assist" the two personal assistants accused of defrauding Mr Saatchi and his then wife, Nigella Lawson, of £685,000.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

No matter when horrible things about Trump which cannot be denied come forth from other panelists like Van Jones or Mondale campaign manager Bob Beckel.

Huffington Post

Today, Lewis doesn't deny coming off as arrogant.

Huffington Post

The allegation, which Ganzeer denies, came after he published a cartoon satirising Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who became president of Egypt the following month.

The Guardian - Books

The alleged leak, which Mr Pociatek denies, came to light after unusually heavy trading in the currency in the run-up to a 15% jump in the exchange rate that was announced on the evening of May 28th.

The Economist

The accusation, which Mr. Zhao and The Times deny, came 10 days after the publication of an article in The Times saying that Jiang Zemin, the former president, had offered to give up his last leadership position.

The New York Times

The news, which the ECB refused to deny, came as Moores was overseeing Friday's rain-hit one-day international against Ireland in Malahide, a fixture on which Strauss was due to commentate for Sky Sports before deciding to stay away so as to avoid questions on the subject.

The Guardian - Sport

Paula Broadwell is found to have classified information, which she and Mr Petraeus deny came from the former general.

BBC

"Access Denied" came up, in English.

The New York Times - Magazine

Bellingham, the show's oldest contestant at 61, denied Strictly Come Dancing was ageist.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "denied coming" as it is not grammatically sound. Instead, use clearer alternatives such as "refused to come" or "denied that they were coming" to ensure your message is easily understood.

Common error

Using "denied coming" can lead to confusion because it doesn't follow standard English verb patterns. Always opt for a more structured phrasing like "denied that they were coming" or "refused to come" to maintain grammatical accuracy and clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "denied coming" functions as a verb phrase that attempts to express a negation of an arrival or intent to arrive. However, Ludwig indicates that this phrasing is not grammatically correct. The valid examples available tend to rephrase it for better clarity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "denied coming" is grammatically questionable and not standard English. Ludwig identifies it as an incorrect construction. While it appears in some news sources, better alternatives such as "refused to come" or "denied that they were coming" are recommended for clarity and grammatical correctness. The analysis shows it's best to avoid "denied coming" in formal and academic writing, opting for more precise alternatives. Always aim for clear and accurate communication by using proper phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

refused to come

This alternative replaces "denied" with "refused", offering a clearer and more direct expression of unwillingness to arrive.

denied intending to come

This clarifies the denial as a lack of intention, which is a subtle but useful distinction in some contexts.

denied that they were coming

This version adds a clause to clarify what was being denied, enhancing the sentence's overall structure and meaning.

declined to arrive

Offers a formal alternative, replacing "coming" with "arrive" and "denied" with "declined".

disclaimed arrival

Replaces "coming" with "arrival", framing the phrase in a more formal context of disavowing an impending presence.

rejected the idea of coming

Focuses on the rejection of an idea rather than a direct denial, which can soften the connotation.

refuted their impending arrival

By using "refuted", the sentence highlights the action of disproving or arguing against an expected arrival.

disavowed their approach

This version uses "disavowed" to indicate a strong denial of association with an approach or advancement.

countered their coming

By using "countered", the sentence suggests an active opposition to someone's arrival, highlighting conflict or resistance.

invalidated the expectation of their arrival

This more complex phrasing focuses on negating the anticipation or expectation of someone's arrival.

FAQs

What is a more grammatically correct way to express "denied coming"?

Instead of "denied coming", use phrases like "refused to come", "denied that they were coming", or "declined to arrive" for better clarity.

Is "denied coming" considered formal or informal English?

"Denied coming" is neither formal nor standard English. It's best to avoid it in both formal and informal contexts in favor of more grammatically correct alternatives.

Can I use "denied coming" in academic writing?

No, avoid using "denied coming" in academic writing. Opt for more precise and grammatically correct alternatives such as "rejected the invitation" or "did not accept the invitation".

What's the difference between "denied coming" and "refused to come"?

"Refused to come" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to express unwillingness to arrive. "Denied coming" is grammatically questionable and less clear. It is preferable to use phrases like "refused to come".