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
The decision is likely to draw sharp criticism from Trump, who has repeatedly clashed with Fed Chair Jerome Powell over the bank’s refusal to cut rates.
—
Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 27 July 2025
Trump’s visit is a remarkable symbolic move on that independence, bringing his drumbeat of criticism over Powell’s refusal to lower interest rates right to the chairman’s doorstep.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 July 2025
The request to unseal records from the Florida federal investigation came as the Trump administration responds to a growing backlash for its refusal to release the government’s voluminous files on Epstein -- months after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi promised full transparency on the files.
—Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 24 July 2025
But Committee Chair James Comer criticized O'Conner over his refusal to answer questions saying there had been a conspiracy to cover up Biden's cognitive decline.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for refusal
Daniel Wine, CNN Money, 27 July 2025
Trump’s visit is a remarkable symbolic move on that independence, bringing his drumbeat of criticism over Powell’s refusal to lower interest rates right to the chairman’s doorstep.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 July 2025
The request to unseal records from the Florida federal investigation came as the Trump administration responds to a growing backlash for its refusal to release the government’s voluminous files on Epstein -- months after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi promised full transparency on the files.
—Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 24 July 2025
But Committee Chair James Comer criticized O'Conner over his refusal to answer questions saying there had been a conspiracy to cover up Biden's cognitive decline.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for refusal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refusal
Noun
-
In Cassidy’s time, the pre-academy era, there was next to no assistance for players dealing with rejection or setbacks.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
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But this rejection of empathy has paved the way for dehumanizing rhetoric toward entire groups.—
Brian Recker,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
Noun
-
The denial cited documentation that the nickname was used to refer to New York decades before Batman was created.—
Scott Soshnick,
Sportico.com,
24 July 2025
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Judge Robin Rosenberg, in her denial of that petition, said that an unrelated ruling in 2020 by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that a district court does not have the power to unseal grand jury records in instances not covered by the criminal procedure rule.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Refusal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refusal. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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