REJECT Synonyms: 220 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

reject 1 of 2

verb

ri-ˈjekt

Definition of reject next

as in to refuse

to be unwilling to grant rejected his request for time off

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to deny

to declare not to be true I reject the claim that I have ever lied about that

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to discard

to get rid of as useless or unwanted sorted through the nuts and rejected any that had cracked shells or were shattered

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to decline

to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to rejected his marriage proposal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reject

2 of 2

noun

ˈrē-ˌjekt

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

insider

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

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

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

But Jones rejected that claim in June, and did so again about the latest request, which seeks the same employment information — about 10 of the same people — as the prior subpoena. —

Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026 The former plantation rejects the rosy antebellum view, focusing instead on slavery’s horrors. —

Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 21 Apr. 2026

Noun

These days, the aviary houses parakeets that are mostly rejects from friends whose kids got bored with them. —

Inga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026 In it, Jackson Lamb (Oldman), River Cartwright (Jack Lowden) and the rest of the MI5 rejects are on the case — and a bit on the defense. —

Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reject

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reject

Verb

Football has traditionally been a conduit for protests in Iran, with the national team refusing to sing the anthem on several occasions over recent decades, including during the 2009 Green Movement and after the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of the morality police in 2022.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
However, the Portage Township Schools have refused to recognize autism as an educational eligibility category and have denied the boy autism-specific services, sensory accommodations and the proper behavioral interventions, the suit says.

— Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026

Definition of refuse

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reiterative

reject

rejected

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“Reject.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reject. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

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Synonyms of reject

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