The word “denial” is not a river in Egypt, but it is a handy-dandy human coping skill to avoid unpleasant events in our collective lives.

Unfortunately, avoiding a harsh reality can make matters worse the longer you wait to confront it.

Exhibit A: President Joe Biden.

More than a year before his decision to step down from the Democratic ticket, there was plenty of off-the-radar chatter in Democratic circles that the prez was not up to the task, but nobody acted on it.

How do you gracefully tell a sitting president to take a hike?

If the chatter reached the Oval Office, it was quickly and decisively batted away.

“I’m the best candidate to beat Donald Trump” was the front office explanation for why the incumbent was running again. And, as the drum beat to force him to recant reached a crescendo, the Biden team gave no ground.

Hindsight being what it is, suffice it to say the denial made it tougher to address the reality, which had its roots in that “bad night” debate with Trump, when the sitting president showed his age for the whole world to see.

One of the president’s longtime and close advisors was in town the other day, and this question came up: At any time, prior to his decision to exit the race, did you privately conclude that his presidency would have to end?

Tom Perez, the former chair of the Democratic National Committee, did not bat an eyelash with a quick response: “No. Because I’ve worked and I see him up close and personal,” he said as he defended his answer, even though legions of his amigos in Washington were singing a different tune for weeks.

Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and current Gov. Gretchen Whitmer offered the same explanation of having seen the president “up close and personal,” too.

In the case of the current governor, her observations were made long before the story reached critical mass, but the comments from the former governor came after the weak debate showing.

Through the ordeal, there were telltale signs the ship was sinking.

Young voters who helped propel Biden into the job were MIA.

To be sure, his support in the loyal African American community was there, but not at the level it needed to be for him to win again.

And even portions of the loyal Democratic Party base looked like a landslide.

At the same time, some of the president’s true believers were saying those voters would come home once they figured out that Trump would win if they didn’t.

But veteran Michigan pollster Richard Czuba uncovered startling evidence that the defections were real.

That’s because, after Biden left the race, 26% of the voters said they were now more motivated to vote with him out.

And 48% of those were 18- to 29-year-olds. Thirty-eight percent were African Americans and 37% were the base/hardcore Democrats.

And with that and with a new fresh face on the ticket in Vice President Kamala Harris, something else returned: enthusiasm and hope, which also had been MIA for months, much to the chagrin of Team Trump, which up until Biden’s exit was coasting to an easy win.