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2
as in refusals
an unwillingness to grant something asked for
gave a resounding nay to the request for a mixed-company camping trip
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nays
With Cornyn not on the floor, the vote for more than 25 minutes was stuck at 56 ayes and 40 nays, with three other GOP senators, Rick Scott of Florida, Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson and Mike Lee of Utah, not voting, for unclear reasons.
—
Emily Wilkins,dan Mangan, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the decision following an endorsement from the Chamber of Deputies and a Senate vote that saw 76 ayes, five nays and 35 abstentions.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
Emily Wilkins,dan Mangan, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the decision following an endorsement from the Chamber of Deputies and a Senate vote that saw 76 ayes, five nays and 35 abstentions.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nays
Noun
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The list of noes from top free agents since then is not insignificant.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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The winningest teams lose and Hollywood, there's so many nos.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Some went to court to challenge government refusals to authorize pickets, while others scaled them back to smaller indoor gatherings.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Mar. 2026
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Care refusals aren’t a new phenomenon.—
Laura Ungar,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Legislators' goal is to get the bill approved and sent to Beshear by the end of the month, so any vetoes from the governor can be overridden when lawmakers gavel back in briefly in mid-April.—
Lucas Aulbach,
Louisville Courier Journal,
18 Mar. 2026
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That will be considered by the rest of the Legislature on Thursday, the final day of the annual legislative session except for a day to consider vetoes from the governor on March 30.—
Meghan O'Brien & Seth Tupper,
States Newsroom,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The family has had three rejections so far.—
Morgan Rynor,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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The partial rejections were issued March 9 by EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, who agreed with the environmental group that the six air permits were insufficient.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Quickly afterward, though, came the denials from Iran about talks, while Iran's semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies portrayed the American president as backing down.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
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The footage doesn’t exactly paint Timberlake in the best light, particularly considering his staunch denials that he was intoxicated.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nays. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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