reject 1 of 2

1
2
3
4

reject

2 of 2

noun

1
as in outcast
one who is cast out or rejected by society was the school reject as a child and has low self-esteem even today

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in discard
something separated from a group or lot for not being as good as the others that apple has a mushy spot on it, so it's a reject

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word reject different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of reject are decline, refuse, repudiate, and spurn. While all these words mean "to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering," reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

When might decline be a better fit than reject?

While in some cases nearly identical to reject, decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

declined his party's nomination

When would refuse be a good substitute for reject?

The words refuse and reject are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

refused to lend them the money

When could repudiate be used to replace reject?

The meanings of repudiate and reject largely overlap; however, repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

When is it sensible to use spurn instead of reject?

Although the words spurn and reject have much in common, spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

spurned his overtures of friendship

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 reject
Verb
Getting a Missouri deal across the finish line would require a local sales tax vote like the one Jackson County voters rejected in April 2024. Kansas City Star, 14 July 2025 Beijing refused to participate in the proceedings and continues to reject the ruling. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 July 2025
Noun
His growth throughout the series is kind of the whole point of the show, from the social reject of the village to one of its most reliable and trustworthy warriors, beloved by all. David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024 Instead of letting the weird baking mixes or seasonings go to waste, team up with your partner or roommates and make an Iron Chef style meal of the rejects. Grace McCarty, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for reject
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reject
Verb
  • Bondi earlier this week refused to answer questions from reporters about the Epstein files.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 July 2025
  • The Yankees’ lineup, meanwhile, didn’t put up a fight against Spencer Strider, who refused to surrender a run, walked three and struck out eight over six innings.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 July 2025
Verb
  • So with his conviction and prison stay, Larson was denied access.
    Savannah Leigh Richardson, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
  • Paxton, during the trial, denied having the affair.
    Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • The first-stage booster that had been tapped during the original attempts was discarded for a new booster.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
  • When the markets washed out in April, these CEFs were discarded by their vanilla dividend owners.
    Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • The important storyline over those weeks is about untapped potential, not declining numbers.
    Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025
  • This story has been updated to note the FBI declined to comment.
    James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • Considered a political outcast following his loss in 2020 and an attack by his supporters on the U.S. Capitol, Trump was elected to another term in a decisive victory over Vice President Kamala Harris.
    Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • That is, until the 15-year-old social outcast and failing student falls in love with a lovely, but lonely first-grade teacher twice his age (played by Olivia Williams), who also happens to be the object of wealthy industrialist Herman Blume’s affection.
    Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • In Cassidy’s time, the pre-academy era, there was next to no assistance for players dealing with rejection or setbacks.
    Simon Hughes, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • But this rejection of empathy has paved the way for dehumanizing rhetoric toward entire groups.
    Brian Recker, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
Verb
  • The story included statements from Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel refuting the premise, but not Bongino.
    Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
  • The memo also concluded that Epstein died by suicide, refuting other claims that there was foul play behind his 2019 death in prison.
    Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • The bout of storms comes after torrential rainfall Tuesday night dumped nearly 5.5 inches of rain within 90 minutes, prompting reports of flooding in basements and viaducts on the city’s West Side.
    Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
  • And one recent event included a surprise appearance from two contestants who were recently dumped from the island.
    Jennifer Liu, CNBC, 11 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reject.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reject. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on reject

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!