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
Nutt had a reasonable belief Crabtree would immediately use deadly force against him and Crabtree's refusal to comply with Nutt's commands forced him to act in self-defense, according to letter.
—
Tracy Neal, arkansasonline.com, 9 Sep. 2024
However, the State Department’s refusal to process visas during the proclamation period meant that many winners were unable to meet the deadline, ultimately disqualifying them from the program.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the ban on Friday in response to X owner Elon Musk’s refusal to comply with court orders to block certain accounts and to identify a legal representative in the country.
—Richard Lawler, The Verge, 2 Sep. 2024
Policymakers’ refusal to cut missions and offload defense burdens to wealthy allies greatly exacerbates the strain on the All-Volunteer Force.
—Gil Barndollar, Vox, 1 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for refusal 
Tracy Neal, arkansasonline.com, 9 Sep. 2024
However, the State Department’s refusal to process visas during the proclamation period meant that many winners were unable to meet the deadline, ultimately disqualifying them from the program.
—Andy J. Semotiuk, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024
Justice Alexandre de Moraes issued the ban on Friday in response to X owner Elon Musk’s refusal to comply with court orders to block certain accounts and to identify a legal representative in the country.
—Richard Lawler, The Verge, 2 Sep. 2024
Policymakers’ refusal to cut missions and offload defense burdens to wealthy allies greatly exacerbates the strain on the All-Volunteer Force.
—Gil Barndollar, Vox, 1 Sep. 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 14 Sep. 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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