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 refusal by Democrats to entertain these calls from donors who want to slow down the nomination process is a sharp contrast to how many donors successfully lobbied lawmakers to call on Biden to drop out of the race.
—
Brian Schwartz,rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 23 July 2024
House Republicans in May demanded testimony from Peters following her refusal to allow Congress to speak with former Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro, who was recently released from prison after being sentenced to prison for four months for defying a subpoena from the now-defunct Jan. 6 committee.
—Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 July 2024
His death and a white police officer’s refusal to arrest Stauber lit the fuse on simmering racial hostility that would explode into what historians have called the most violent week in Chicago history.
—Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2024
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On the left, the refusal by some to clearly stand up to radicals such as antisemitic and pro-Hamas protesters, advocates of defunding the police, and the open-borders movement has done substantial damage.
—Larry Hogan, Washington Post, 19 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for refusal 
Brian Schwartz,rebecca Picciotto, CNBC, 23 July 2024
House Republicans in May demanded testimony from Peters following her refusal to allow Congress to speak with former Trump trade adviser Peter Navarro, who was recently released from prison after being sentenced to prison for four months for defying a subpoena from the now-defunct Jan. 6 committee.
—Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 23 July 2024
His death and a white police officer’s refusal to arrest Stauber lit the fuse on simmering racial hostility that would explode into what historians have called the most violent week in Chicago history.
—Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2024
Sign up for the Prompt 2024 newsletter for opinions on the biggest questions in politics
On the left, the refusal by some to clearly stand up to radicals such as antisemitic and pro-Hamas protesters, advocates of defunding the police, and the open-borders movement has done substantial damage.
—Larry Hogan, Washington Post, 19 July 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 26 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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