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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
Classical Music Critic, Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
Still, the administration rebuffed the requests.
—Andy Mannix, ProPublica, 25 Mar. 2026
Goliath and Masondo appealed the cancellation in court but were rebuffed.
—News Desk, Artforum, 25 Mar. 2026
In February, a federal judge in Minnesota refused to issue a restraining order in the case, rebuffing the state’s request.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebuff
Cite this Entry
“Rebuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebuff. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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