REFUSAL Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

refusal

noun

ri-ˈfyü-zəl

Definition of refusal

as in rejection

an unwillingness to grant something asked for his flat refusal of our reasonable request was rather startling

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of refusal The story follows Masterji, a retired schoolteacher whose refusal to go along with those around him places him in direct conflict with his own community. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 The department then threatened legal action against the district, saying its refusal to sign amounted to non-compliance with FERPA. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026 Goodbye, Ramona, such a vivid and sweeping story of Catalan refusal to comply with this oppression, is a testament to how a language, just like the desire to be free or to love or to learn, simply cannot be contained. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026 Enquiries around Kenan Yildiz have been met by Juventus with a firm refusal. — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refusal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for refusal

Noun

But there’s also a subtle rejection of the earnest wokeness of years past.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
But her part ultimately was cut from the film, which Hart said in a 2011 interview with SheKnows helped teach her about rejection.

— Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of rejection

Noun

Improve home-health billing, claims submission, denial management, legacy accounts receivable, revenue-cycle dashboards, and financial sustainability.

— Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
The denial-of-service attacks meant that hackers pushed massive traffic toward the agency in order to block services, including one that enables citizens to use one login across multiple public services.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of denial

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refurnishing

refusal

refusals

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“Refusal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refusal. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of refusal

noun

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