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rebuff 1 of 2

noun

Definition of rebuffnext
as in dismissal
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly took her rebuff in stride, and still greeted her cousin with a friendly smile the next time they met

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rebuff

2 of 2

verb

as in to spurn

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rebuff
Noun
The latest rebuff of state overreach was the dismissal last week of the highly questionable felony case against respected Waukegan City Clerk Janet Kilkelly brought by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026 Braced by that humiliating rebuff, the Service wasted no time in getting serious and rallying around reform. — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Despite initially being rebuffed by the designer, the pair connected and unknowingly sparked what would be a 41-year friendship. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 2 June 2026 Tess, who's on the bus rebuffing yet another apology from Orson, spots Jamison walking by. — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rebuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebuff
  1. dismissal
  2. spurn
  3. snub
  4. scorn
  5. repulse
  6. disdain
  7. rejection
  8. reject
Noun
  • Kotzmacher said the absence and dismissal of the issue only strengthened her resolve.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • In his Instagram caption, Macklemore referenced his dismissal from pop star Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour over his pro-Palestinian messaging and the ensuing fallout.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissal
Verb
  • And Newsom typically spurns laws that make changes to the state budget after those fiscal discussions conclude in the first half of the calendar year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The pool of journalists who took that protective journey with him reflected the very racial and gender diversity that the current president spurns today.
    — Sonya Ross For The Atlanta Journal-Contitution, AJC.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of spurn
Noun
  • As his son Charles recounts in Swan Song, when Diana considered calling off her wedding to Prince Charles after suffering various snubs from the heir to the throne, Count Spencer flatly rejected his youngest daughter’s idea.
    — Diego Parrado, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Its complete omission from the 2026 Latin Grammy nominations was one of the most notable snubs on Wednesday morning.
    — Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of snub
Verb
  • The investors among this small and scorned generation, now aged 45-61, are watching markets play out on their screens and constantly see the plot parallels with past cycles.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
  • On a fictional highway in 1958, a Cadillac became badly scorned by a little Nash Rambler.
    — Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of scorn
Noun
  • Larger than life, his creation repulses and torments him, and Victor spends the rest of his life both running from it and trying to destroy it.
    — Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • The optical, stop-motion, and puppetry effects alone should make Brain Damage a priority on your watchlist, but Henenlotter’s film excites and repulses on a deeper level.
    — Rory Doherty, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
Definition of repulse
Verb
  • Scrutiny of Flock and other surveillance providers was largely bipartisan at the hearing, as did disdain for the company leaders not appearing.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Other liberal economists disdain labor share as a useful metric, or see it as a distraction from sober policy analysis.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of disdain
Noun
  • Across the past century, other nations have renamed themselves or tweaked their names for various reasons, from modernization to rejection of colonialism.
    — Ted Anthony, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Did the account have a long, clean history before the rejection?
    — Adarsh Naidu, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejection
Verb
  • The county urged the Supreme Court to reject the administration's appeal, while the state of Texas submitted its own brief defending the database.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Notably, one person, without explanation, rejected the invitation to testify, though their statement to law enforcement was also considered.
    — Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of reject

Browse Nearby Words

rebroadcasts
rebuff
rebuffed
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Cite this Entry

“Rebuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebuff. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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