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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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Medical staff were ordered to make sure all refusals of medical treatment were made directly to them and documented.—
Christopher Damien,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
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White said ride refusals are particularly an issue for members of the blind community who travel with service animals.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Reflexive vetoes of new experiments, as the Simple Summaries spat highlighted last summer, is not genuine conversation.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Jan. 2026
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That funding was later vetoed by the governor as part of broader cultural budget vetoes.—
Geo Darder,
Sun Sentinel,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Grand jury rejections are extraordinarily unusual, but have happened repeatedly in recent months in Washington as citizens who have heard the government’s evidence have come away underwhelmed in a number of cases.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Scientific leaders fear the rejections could discourage students from pursuing research careers at a moment when graduate students are already struggling to find work in labs due to tenuous biomedical funding.—
Jonathan Wosen,
STAT,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Pritzker's accusation seems to be supported by wider reporting on severe weather events, in which the administration's approvals and denials appear to fall along political lines.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Mistakes can trap them in years-long cycles of denials, appeals and resubmissions.—
Irene Watkins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nays. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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