as in refusals
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
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 turndowns
Indeed, the board’s few celebrity turndowns seem to have more to do with how no one was too intimidated to submit an application.
—
Kim Velsey, Curbed, 13 Aug. 2025
Kim Velsey, Curbed, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turndowns
Noun
-
Medical staff were ordered to make sure all refusals of medical treatment were made directly to them and documented.—
Christopher Damien,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
-
White said ride refusals are particularly an issue for members of the blind community who travel with service animals.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Grand jury rejections are extraordinarily unusual, but have happened repeatedly in recent months in Washington as citizens who have heard the government’s evidence have come away underwhelmed in a number of cases.—
Alanna Durkin Richer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Scientific leaders fear the rejections could discourage students from pursuing research careers at a moment when graduate students are already struggling to find work in labs due to tenuous biomedical funding.—
Jonathan Wosen,
STAT,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Pritzker's accusation seems to be supported by wider reporting on severe weather events, in which the administration's approvals and denials appear to fall along political lines.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Mistakes can trap them in years-long cycles of denials, appeals and resubmissions.—
Irene Watkins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turndowns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turndowns. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
