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Many English verbs begin with the prefix re-, meaning “again” or “backward,” so we wouldn’t criticize you for drawing a connection between rebuff and buff, a verb meaning “to polish or shine.” But rebuff would beg to differ: this word comes to us from the Middle French verb rebuffer, which traces back to the Old Italian ribuffare, meaning “to reprimand.” (Buff, in contrast, comes from the Middle French noun buffle, meaning “wild ox”). A similar word, rebuke, shares the “criticize” sense of rebuff, but not the “reject” sense; one can rebuke another’s actions or policies, but one does not rebuke the advances of another, for example. Like rebuke, rebuff can also be used as a noun, as in “The proposal was met with a stern rebuff from the Board of Trustees.”
Examples of rebuff in a Sentence
Robert Legare, CBS News, 4 June 2024
He was rebuffed and sat out the 1978-79 season in protest.
—Julia Reinstein, ABC News, 27 May 2024
And twice in as many weeks, key city committees have rebuffed their efforts, signaling a disinterest in blocking the project, which the university maintains needs no zoning variances.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 19 May 2024
As mayor in 2009, Dixon tried once before to institute a land bank, but was rebuffed by City Council members concerned about transparency and its financial feasibility.
—Emily Opilo, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for rebuff 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rebuff.' 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 rebuff
Cite this Entry
“Rebuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebuff. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.
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