refusal
noun
re·fus·al
ri-ˈfyü-zəl 
1
: the act of refusing or denying
2
: the opportunity or right of refusing or taking before others
Examples of refusal in a Sentence
My request for more money was met with a flat refusal.
his flat refusal of our reasonable request was rather startling
Recent Examples on the Web
There is a difference between agnosticism and refusal.
—
Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Da Vinci won with the track at the Sanremo Music Festival earlier this year, giving him the right of first refusal to represent Italy at Eurovision.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 16 May 2026
That opacity serves a clear purpose, but Martelli is enamored by it to a fault, and Inés’ refusal to question the people around her or make any significant decisions beyond keeping her mouth shut eventually proves more trying than helpful.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
The performance lives in tiny hesitations, fleeting glances and emotional refusals.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for refusal
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.
Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026
Da Vinci won with the track at the Sanremo Music Festival earlier this year, giving him the right of first refusal to represent Italy at Eurovision.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 16 May 2026
That opacity serves a clear purpose, but Martelli is enamored by it to a fault, and Inés’ refusal to question the people around her or make any significant decisions beyond keeping her mouth shut eventually proves more trying than helpful.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
The performance lives in tiny hesitations, fleeting glances and emotional refusals.
—Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for refusal
Cite this Entry
“Refusal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refusal. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
refusal
noun
re·fus·al
ri-ˈfyü-zəl
1
: the act of refusing or denying
2
: the opportunity or right of refusing or taking (as a purchase) before others
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
