as in refusal
an unwillingness to grant something asked for
the request to use the restroom was just a formality—I really didn't expect a turndown
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to refuse
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
I'm afraid that I will have to turn down your invitation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of turndown
AFAR Media, 27 Apr. 2026
Evenings wind down with thoughtful touches including local truffles at turndown, fireplaces flickering, and record-listening prompt cards.
—Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 17 June 2026
Value your time by turning down unpaid tasks.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for turndown
Noun
The pricing also includes laundry and nightly turndown service.
—AFAR Media, 27 Apr. 2026
Evenings wind down with thoughtful touches including local truffles at turndown, fireplaces flickering, and record-listening prompt cards.
—Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
Shortly after Pino turned down the chance to testify, the defense rested its case.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 17 June 2026
Value your time by turning down unpaid tasks.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for turndown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turndown
Noun
-
Wilson was devastated by losing debates about the design of Congress and the presidency, and in particular by the convention’s refusal to acknowledge the centrality of regular people to the government.—
Jesse Wegman,
The Atlantic,
20 June 2026
-
Roosevelt’s refusal settled, for a century, that in America only the people are sovereign.—
Gautam Mukunda,
Mercury News,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
Though the indignity ran deep, our ancestors refused to bow.—
John E. Jackson Sr,
Chicago Tribune,
16 June 2026
-
Some of The View's live studio audience members welcomed Vice President JD Vance to the Hot Topics table by refusing to applaud.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
Noun
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This finding specifically held true for people with fearful and preoccupied attachment styles, two subtypes of insecure attachment associated with a craving for intimacy but, respectively, a deep fear of it or a fear of rejection and abandonment.—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
20 June 2026
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Someone with anxious attachment may worry about rejection, seek excessive reassurance or feel uncertain about the stability of relationships.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
Verb
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Israel’s request to see the text was rejected by the US, an Israeli source told CNN.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
The legal case, decided at an emergency hearing in a Los Angeles courthouse on Monday morning, was brought by an Iranian fan who said FIFA’s block impinged freedom of speech, but the judge rejected that argument.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Noun
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Safety net hospitals also have fewer resources than more affluent hospitals to deal with denials from Medicaid managed care organizations, which occur when health insurers and other organizations that administer Medicaid benefits for the state deny payment for certain claims.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
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The same pattern of denial appeared in law as well.—
Andy J. Semotiuk,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
Verb
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In 2023, the year after five Tampa Bay Rays players declined to wear rainbow logos for Pride Night, Manfred said the league would no longer compel players to do so.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Factors such as declining birth rates and families moving out of the city are contributing to declining enrollment at Denver Public Schools.—
Chierstin Roth,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
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And now the opportunity to get to travel to them with other fans, with other book lovers, just too good to pass up.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
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The Emmys’ producers passing up on even the slightest possibility of a Werner Herzog acceptance speech is sheer lunacy.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turndown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turndown. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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