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
Trump said he has been deeply frustrated with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s refusal to lower interest rates faster, which the president sees as a potential boon for the economy.
—
Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Think of George Washington’s refusal of a third term.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
Should one person want out, usually their co-owner has a right of first refusal to make an offer on the other share of the house.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 4 Feb. 2026
Shapiro released a special 41-minute episode of his podcast detailing Fuentes’s career of calumnies against Black people, Indian Americans, Jews, and women—and called out Carlson’s refusal to confront the young white supremacist about any of it.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 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.
Marissa Martinez, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Think of George Washington’s refusal of a third term.
—Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 5 Feb. 2026
Should one person want out, usually their co-owner has a right of first refusal to make an offer on the other share of the house.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 4 Feb. 2026
Shapiro released a special 41-minute episode of his podcast detailing Fuentes’s career of calumnies against Black people, Indian Americans, Jews, and women—and called out Carlson’s refusal to confront the young white supremacist about any of it.
—Yair Rosenberg, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 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 15 Feb. 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
