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
Synonyms
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
The attorneys for the SEEC argued during the meeting Wednesday that the voters’ refusal to cooperate with investigators would not affect the cases that have already been referred to the Chief State’s Attorney’s office.
—
Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2024
The Court’s refusal to develop a binding code of ethics after his downfall stains the judicial body to this day, leaving an ethical cloud hanging over the decisions rendered by the Court and calling its legitimacy into question.
—Michael Bobelian, TIME, 26 June 2024
His single-minded focus on Black issues and refusal to compromise made some people uncomfortable.
—Sandy Banks, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2024
That’s where Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott was Thursday, defending his refusal to let Pembroke Pines hold a special election in August to fill a city commission vacancy.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for refusal 
Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2024
The Court’s refusal to develop a binding code of ethics after his downfall stains the judicial body to this day, leaving an ethical cloud hanging over the decisions rendered by the Court and calling its legitimacy into question.
—Michael Bobelian, TIME, 26 June 2024
His single-minded focus on Black issues and refusal to compromise made some people uncomfortable.
—Sandy Banks, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2024
That’s where Supervisor of Elections Joe Scott was Thursday, defending his refusal to let Pembroke Pines hold a special election in August to fill a city commission vacancy.
—Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for refusal
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'refusal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near refusal
Cite this Entry
“Refusal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refusal. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
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
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