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Synonym Chooser

How is the word repudiate different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of repudiate are decline, refuse, reject, and spurn. While all these words mean "to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering," repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

When can decline be used instead of repudiate?

The words decline and repudiate can be used in similar contexts, but decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

declined his party's nomination

When is it sensible to use refuse instead of repudiate?

While in some cases nearly identical to repudiate, refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

refused to lend them the money

Where would reject be a reasonable alternative to repudiate?

The words reject and repudiate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

When is spurn a more appropriate choice than repudiate?

In some situations, the words spurn and repudiate are roughly equivalent. However, spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

spurned his overtures of friendship

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of repudiate Getty Images The broad effort is not meant to repudiate Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Joe Biden or any other politician, The People's Union says on its website. Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 June 2025 Chinese officials, however, have repudiated the president’s claims about negotiations and called for an end to unilateral tariffs. Katie Lauer, Mercury News, 24 Apr. 2025 To make, not impose, peace Mr. Trump repeatedly cast himself as a peacemaker but not as a peace-imposer, repudiating his predecessors – Republican and Democratic alike – who sought to remake the Middle East in the West’s image and according to Western values. Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025 Their entire agenda has been totally repudiated by the American people. Heather Hamilton, The Washington Examiner, 11 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for repudiate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repudiate
Verb
  • So with his conviction and prison stay, Larson was denied access.
    Savannah Leigh Richardson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
  • Paxton, during the trial, denied having the affair.
    Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • In both cases, as there was no misconduct, there were no apologies offered and no admission of guilt, in an effort to protect their reputations by refusing contrition for their journalism.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 7 July 2025
  • Prioritizing TikTok Shop's growth could motivate ByteDance to back down from refusing to sell the app, but ultimately, China would still need to sign off, Trump has said.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • New York Senator Julia Salazar, who was among the electeds observing hearings Thursday called for New Yorkers to reject what is happening inside lower Manhattan immigration courts.
    Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 5 July 2025
  • Last summer, West Ham had a verbal offer of £15m rejected by Al Ittihad for midfielder N’Golo Kante, then 33.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • The result will be an increase in preying on immigrants by the criminal element: robbery, protection scams, sweatshop labor and human trafficking, as the immigrant community withdraws from reliance on no-longer-safe court systems.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 4 July 2025
  • The traffic receded as Chicago withdrew into the distance behind me on Interstate 90.
    Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • The story included statements from Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel refuting the premise, but not Bongino.
    Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
  • The memo also concluded that Epstein died by suicide, refuting other claims that there was foul play behind his 2019 death in prison.
    Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Disney officials declined to comment on individual plans out of respect for all guests.
    Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2025
  • The important storyline over those weeks is about untapped potential, not declining numbers.
    Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • In 2023, more than 10,000 papers were retracted from research journals.
    Sheldon H. Jacobson, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
  • Once airborne, the foils retract away into the hull, reemerging after landing.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 July 2025
Verb
  • Who’s on Tennessee death row While the Department of Justice has renounced pentobarbital, Tennessee and about a dozen other states are pushing forward with the drug.
    Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
  • On Wednesday, Lamont praised Mamdani while noting that Democrats have hardly renounced centrists.
    Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Repudiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repudiate. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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