deny oneself

verb

To decline the gratification of appetites, desires, impulses, or needs; to practise self-denial.

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Meanings

verbdeny oneself (third-person singular simple present denies oneself, present participle denying oneself, simple past and past participle denied oneself)

present singular third person denies oneself · participle present denying oneself · participle past denied oneself · past denied oneself

  1. To decline the gratification of appetites, desires, impulses, or needs; to practise self-denial.

    Let him deny himself, and take up his cross.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 16:24
    1 more example

    When you treat your basic needs as rewards, you can easily deny yourself good health because you haven't 'earned' it.

    2023, Amy Arthur, Pace Yourself: How to have energy in an exhausting world

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
abstain
Cite this entry
APA

deny oneself. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deny%20oneself

MLA

“deny oneself.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deny%20oneself. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deny oneself,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deny%20oneself.

Source: deny oneself on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.