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
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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
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After three years of refusals, Kalshi finally sued the regulatory agency and won — just in time for the 2024 presidential election.—
Kelli María Korducki,
thehustle.co,
3 Apr. 2026
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Despite the Reina Sofía’s many refusals to lend the work to various institutions around the world, its rebuff of the Guggenheim’s request carries a particular sting because the Basque Country has long held that the painting belongs in the place where the depicted tragedy occurred.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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When John begins spitting out his food, his mother, Heather (Shirley Henderson), worn down by exhaustion and anger, banishes him from the dinner table—the first in an unceasing series of maternal rejections.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
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McElroy's decision is similar to other rejections by federal judges across country since the Justice Department began seeking detailed voter data from the states.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the official denials became less full-throated as more allegations emerged — and when Chavez-DeRemer might be out of a job became something of an open question in Washington.—
Seung Min Kim,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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But the official denials got less full-throated as more allegations emerged — and when Chavez-DeRemer might be out of a job became something of an open question in Washington.—
Seung Min Kim,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turndowns.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turndowns. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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