variants
also refusnik
as in refuser
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Recent Examples of refusenik
Instead, Elam became a refusenik, as conscientious objectors are called in Israel, over his disapproval of the Israel-Hamas war.
—
Jade Walker, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
After getting a secret greenlight in March 1990, Mr. Reichmann was aboard his private plane to Lithuania to pick up refusenik Raiz and his son.
—Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2023
When the Soviet Union lifted its ban on the Jewish refusenik emigration in 1971, my family saw their opportunity to start over in America.
—Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2022
Vaccine mandates by large companies and government agencies, many of them imposed at President Biden’s behest, seem to be working—without vaccine-refusenik workers quitting en masse, as threatened.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2021
Can the host forbid entry or try to make a refusenik toe the line?
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2021
If the refusal to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge was sure to earn the Republican refusenik a potent primary challenge from the right, a denying Trump’s election lies as a gospel truth will likely lead to the same punishment.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 7 July 2021
Natan Sharansky has been a computer scientist, a chess player, a refusenik, a dissident, a political prisoner, a party leader, a government minister, a nonprofit executive, and a bestselling author.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 28 Nov. 2020
Nor does everyone feel oppressed by celebrity; all that star-maker machinery has to get stoked with something, and for every Dylanesque refusenik in the world there are ten thousand volunteers for fame.
—Jonathan Dee, The New Yorker, 29 June 2020
Jade Walker, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
After getting a secret greenlight in March 1990, Mr. Reichmann was aboard his private plane to Lithuania to pick up refusenik Raiz and his son.
—Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2023
When the Soviet Union lifted its ban on the Jewish refusenik emigration in 1971, my family saw their opportunity to start over in America.
—Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2022
Vaccine mandates by large companies and government agencies, many of them imposed at President Biden’s behest, seem to be working—without vaccine-refusenik workers quitting en masse, as threatened.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2021
Can the host forbid entry or try to make a refusenik toe the line?
—Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2021
If the refusal to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge was sure to earn the Republican refusenik a potent primary challenge from the right, a denying Trump’s election lies as a gospel truth will likely lead to the same punishment.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 7 July 2021
Natan Sharansky has been a computer scientist, a chess player, a refusenik, a dissident, a political prisoner, a party leader, a government minister, a nonprofit executive, and a bestselling author.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 28 Nov. 2020
Nor does everyone feel oppressed by celebrity; all that star-maker machinery has to get stoked with something, and for every Dylanesque refusenik in the world there are ten thousand volunteers for fame.
—Jonathan Dee, The New Yorker, 29 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refusenik
Noun
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More Alex Kent/Getty Images Puerto Rico Takes To the Street In an unusual move, Puerto Rico took part in national U.S. protests, demonstrating against Trump and his policies, taking to the streets of San Juan to express their discontent about the president's immigration policies.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 June 2025
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Michael Ochs Archives--Getty Images The riot begins Stone channeled all of these discontents into There’s a Riot Goin’ On.—
Andrew R. Chow,
Time,
10 June 2025
Noun
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Yemen's Houthi rebels, aligned with Iran, have continued to launch attacks in the region despite the truce, including previous drone and missile strikes targeting Israel.—
Amanda Castro
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
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Young-il manages to separate from the group and betrays the rebels, killing two of them and faking his own death.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Refusenik.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refusenik. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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