as in refusal
an unwillingness to grant something asked for
the request to use the restroom was just a formality—I really didn't expect a turndown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to refuse
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
I'm afraid that I will have to turn down your invitation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 turndown
Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 2 Aug. 2025
Wellness is also sprinkled throughout the stay in other ways outside of Thistle, like the welcome ritual and the nightly turndown service.
—Jess Feldman, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2025
Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Oct. 2025
Anadarko had chosen to sell to Chevron when Oxy came back with a larger $38 billion offer that included much more cash—too good for Anadarko to turn down.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turndown
Noun
The DoubleTree Cookie debuted in 1986, and was placed in guestrooms as part of turndown service.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, The Courier-Journal, 2 Aug. 2025
Wellness is also sprinkled throughout the stay in other ways outside of Thistle, like the welcome ritual and the nightly turndown service.
—Jess Feldman, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2025
Verb
We'd been nominated so many times before, and we'd been turned down all those times.
—Haadiza Ogwude, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Oct. 2025
Anadarko had chosen to sell to Chevron when Oxy came back with a larger $38 billion offer that included much more cash—too good for Anadarko to turn down.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for turndown
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turndown
Noun
-
Other African leaders would have terms either too short, broken by coups or assassinations, or too long, extended by a refusal to leave office; Nkrumah’s tenure somehow managed both.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Given no choice, María Ángeles acquiesces to her daughter’s wishes and moves into the seniors’ home, where a hilarious exchange with a hairdresser wanting to chop off her long silver tresses typifies her iron-willed refusal to settle in.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
My adoptive parents had refused to allow contact or send pictures, and didn’t tell me about her attempt to communicate with us for years after the fact.—
Nicole Chung,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Federal officials refused to return him, accusing him of being a gang member, despite judges’ orders that he should be sent back to the United States.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But those early rejections didn’t destroy their confidence.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
5 Oct. 2025
-
This over-enthusiasm can backfire, leading to rejection.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The letter also called for the return of mandatory standardized testing in university admissions and for universities to report the anonymous scores and grades of accepted and rejected students.—
Helen Rummel,
AZCentral.com,
2 Oct. 2025
-
In a June ruling, a three-judge Kansas Court of Appeals panel rejected Kobach’s arguments in no uncertain terms.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For Avraham Burg, an author and former speaker of Israel’s parliament who has become a prominent critic, what lies behind this state of denial in many Jewish Israelis goes far beyond media influence.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
-
After weeks of obfuscation and denial, the Chinese government suddenly shut down the city of Wuhan and surrounding regions to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
And some items, though limited, have seen prices decline, including Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip ice cream, Montgomery Inn’s full rack of ribs, Pringles potato chips and Red and Blue Bicycle Playing cards (though a standard deck has risen 11% in line with the overall index.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Netflix has declined to comment on Musk’s campaign.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Jxrev Wireless Earbuds are a standout at 88 percent off—a deal too good to pass up.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Fortunately, Target is overflowing with discounts right now, and the savings are too good to pass up.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turndown.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turndown. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share