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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
Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 15 Feb. 2026
Asked if more rest appeals to him, though, Altuve rebuffed the idea.
—Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 14 Feb. 2026
Tottenham Hotspur could face a battle to keep hold of Lucas Bergvall this summer after being forced to rebuff enquiries from rival teams in the winter transfer market.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
Despite being constantly rebuffed by John, Daryl is willing to play ball with the paparazzi and give herself over to the role of Wife Hopeful.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Feb. 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 22 Feb. 2026.
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