Disavow Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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disavow

[ˌdɪsəˈvaʊ ]

Definition

Context #1 | Verb

in SEO

To deny any association with a particular website or link in order to disassociate oneself from it and avoid negative consequences in search engine rankings.

Synonyms

reject, renounce, repudiate.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
disavow

When you want to deny responsibility or connection to something, particularly in formal or authoritative contexts.

  • The politician disavowed any knowledge of the scandal.
  • She quickly disavowed the controversial statement made by her partner.
reject

When you want to refuse to accept, consider, or use something, often implying a form of decision or judgment.

  • The committee rejected the proposal for a new park.
  • Her application was rejected due to missing information.
renounce

When you officially or formally give up a claim, belief, or practice, often used in legal or serious personal contexts.

  • He renounced his citizenship to move to another country.
  • She renounced her previous beliefs after the life-changing event.
repudiate

When you want to refuse to accept or be associated with something, often in formal or serious contexts, and sometimes carrying a strong negative connotation.

  • The scientist repudiated the fraudulent data.
  • He repudiated the accusations made against him in the media.

Examples of usage

  • I had to disavow that spammy backlink to avoid a penalty from Google.
  • After receiving a manual action from Google, the webmaster had to disavow several toxic links.
  • The SEO expert recommended disavowing any low-quality links to improve the website's ranking.
  • I disavowed all the links from that suspicious website to protect my own site's reputation.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'disavow'

The word 'disavow' originated from the combination of 'dis-' meaning 'apart' or 'away', and 'avow' meaning 'to declare openly'. Therefore, 'disavow' means to openly declare something as not true or not connected to oneself. The term has been commonly used in the field of SEO to refer to the action of denying association with certain links or websites.


See also: avowal, avowedly.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #25,663, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.