as in rejection
an unwillingness to grant something asked for
his flat refusal of our reasonable request was rather startling
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Recent Examples of refusal
After three years of refusals, Kalshi finally sued the regulatory agency and won — just in time for the 2024 presidential election.
—
Kelli María Korducki, thehustle.co, 3 Apr. 2026
Holding this duality helped frame the triennial as both a refusal of extraction and a deep commitment to care.
—Wassan Al-Khudhairi, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
Woods was charged with driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test following last Friday's accident in Jupiter Island, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety Police said the man's refusal to comply with the court order prompted them to obtain a search warrant for his home.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for refusal
Kelli María Korducki, thehustle.co, 3 Apr. 2026
Holding this duality helped frame the triennial as both a refusal of extraction and a deep commitment to care.
—Wassan Al-Khudhairi, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
Woods was charged with driving under the influence with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test following last Friday's accident in Jupiter Island, the Martin County Sheriff's Office said.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety Police said the man's refusal to comply with the court order prompted them to obtain a search warrant for his home.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for refusal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refusal
Noun
-
While not issuing a quick rejection, key conservative justices seemed skeptical of the administration’s arguments for its legality.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The legal costs that could be incurred by these private schools would be devastating, with claims motivated more by rejection of beliefs than actual injury.—
Stephen Mitchell,
Baltimore Sun,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The #ChurchToo and #SilenceIsNotSpiritual movements, along with scandals at Willow Creek and the International House of Prayer, reveal a pervasive pattern of abuse and denial.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Her covert affair with Davis became big news when a Chicago gossip columnist wrote a detailed account of their relationship in early 1958, including their plans to wed, despite their denials.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Refusal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refusal. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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