According to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(b)(3), a party will answer with a general denial when they intend “in good faith to deny all the allegations of a pleading.” The party will not specifically deny any allegation.
According to this federal district court case, an answer to a complaint that states that the defendant lacks sufficient information to admit or deny an allegation is considered a general denial and not affirmative defense to the allegation.
[Last updated in June of 2020 by the Wex Definitions Team]