“Denial is not a river in Egypt”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
The phrase Denial is not a river in Egypt is a play on words, using the homophone Denial for the Nile, which is a well-known river in Egypt. The phrase humorously highlights the psychological defense mechanism where someone refuses to accept reality or facts.
Tone Humorous, playful, and sometimes slightly sarcastic.
Where it comes from
The phrase is a modern English pun and does not have a specific origin but is a clever twist on words intended to point out someone’s denial using a humorous comparison.
Examples
- When Jeff insisted he wasn’t upset after losing the game, his friend said, ‘Remember, denial is not a river in Egypt.’
- Even though all the evidence pointed to the contrary, she was in complete denial. As her colleague joked, ‘Denial is not a river in Egypt, you know.’
Spotted a mistake in this article? Tell us