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

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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
  • Many independent pediatrics practices had dismissal policies like the one this mom had come up against in Fall River.
    — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This baseball season has been defined, in part, by dismissals.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissal
Verb
  • 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, 1 Sep. 2026
  • No mob godfather has ever been as terrifying as Roscoe Conkling spurned by Chester Arthur in the back of that carriage.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of spurn
Noun
  • After the Emmy morning announcement, Vanity Fair’s experts assessed the snubs and surprises of the nominations, which may provide insight for your own ballot.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Famed Phoenix concert promoter is selling 50 years of music history Foodies are crashing out over Michelin snub.
    — Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of snub
Verb
  • The prevalence of starwashing does not mean that all extraterrestrial endeavors should be scorned, said The Cool Down.
    — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Yes, the parent and teacher-scorned Roblox took Tung Tung Sahur down for a spell, giving Mementum a brief win.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 28 Aug. 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
  • Although the Constitution requires congressional involvement in war-making, Trump like Nixon disdained that mandate with terrible consequences.
    — Elizabeth Holtzman, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Most telling is how openly Stassi disdains the idea of therapy, even insisting to the horror of pretty much everyone else onscreen that forcing hard conversations on reality TV is her therapy.
    — Caroline Framke, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of disdain
Noun
  • Wilson’s whispering, Kermit-ish cadence juxtaposed with Heems’s audacious bars shorthands the borough’s rejection of one-size-fits-all characterization as one of the most diverse urban centers in the world.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Some experts say the call for a temporary halt to more approvals should not be taken as a rejection of potential foreign investment in the country, but rather as a mechanism to establish clear rules, especially around transparency.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejection
Verb
  • Metcalf credits his unusual durability with an unusual ability to reject himself.
    — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In 2024, the court rejected an emergency request from Nicaragua to order Germany to halt military and other aid to Israel in Gaza, but the 16-judge panel declined to throw out the case altogether.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of reject

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Rebuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebuff. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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