Word of the Day ·

Word of the Day: Gainsay

verb /ˌgān-ˈsā/ gain·say

What does gainsay mean?

  1. verb — to declare to be untrue or invalid
  2. verb — contradict, oppose
See the full definition, synonyms and pronunciation of gainsay

Gainsay in a sentence

it can't be gainsaid that most people wish they had more time and money

repeatedly tried to gainsay me, though every point I made was backed up by facts

Synonyms of gainsay

contradict deny disaffirm disallow disavow disclaim disconfirm disown negate negative refute reject

Antonyms of gainsay

acknowledge admit allow avow concede confirm own agree (with)

Origin of gainsay

Middle English yein seyen, gein-seyen "to speak in opposition to, deny," from yein-, gein- "away, back, against, in opposition to" (going back to Old English gēan- "in opposition to," or marking returning or reciprocal action, going back to Germanic *gagna-) + seyen "to say:1" again

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SophDict Word of the Day for October 20, 2026?

The Word of the Day for October 20, 2026 is "gainsay", which means to declare to be untrue or invalid.

What does "gainsay" mean?

Gainsay (verb) means to declare to be untrue or invalid. Similar words: contradict, deny, disaffirm, disallow, disavow.

When does the Word of the Day change?

SophDict publishes a new Word of the Day every day at 00:00 UTC. Every earlier word stays available in the archive.

Where can I find earlier words of the day?

All earlier words are listed in the archive at https://www.sophdict.com/word-of-the-day/archive. You can also follow the RSS feed at https://www.sophdict.com/word-of-the-day/feed.xml.