Ontzegt

Ontzegt is a Dutch transitive verb meaning to deny or withhold something from someone, or to forbid a person from a privilege, right, or access. In usage, it implies an active decision to refuse entitlement or entry rather than merely stating that something is false. The verb is commonly found in formal, legal, administrative, and journalistic language, but can also appear in everyday speech when describing a denial or restriction.

The basic construction is iemand iets ontzeggen, for example: De gemeente heeft de vergunning ontzegd, De ouders hebben hem het recht op verlof ontzegd. This reflects the sense of depriving someone of something or of access to something. The present tense forms include ik ontzeg, jij ontzegt, hij ontzegt, wij ontzeggen, jullie ontzeggen, zij ontzeggen. In the past tense, forms such as ik ontzegde, jij ontzegde, hij ontzegde or wij ontzegden, jullie ontzegden, zij ontzegden are used, with the perfect tense formed as hij heeft ontzegd.

Etymology: ontzegt derives from the prefix ont-, which indicates removal or negation, combined with zeggen (to say). In this sense, the verb originally conveys a declaration of denial or withdrawal of permission, now expressed as withholding or forbidding rather than merely stating something.

See also: verbieten (to prohibit), weigeren (to refuse), ontkenten (to withhold or retract a claim in some contexts), toegang ontzeggen (to deny access) as a common collocation.