as in refused
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
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 turned down
All 15 appeals were turned down by city officials.
—
Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Born into an Orthodox Jewish family and raised in Brooklyn, Bettina turned down a scholarship to the Parsons School of Design to work as a stylist at a local textile company.
—Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
Izzo has turned down multiple opportunities to coach in the NBA, including with Cleveland and Atlanta.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
But in a market full of keyboards clamoring for attention, the Light Mount stands out by keeping the noise—and the fluff—firmly turned down.
—Aubrey Jowers, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Downtown residents have been complaining to the city commission that the traffic and noise are unbearable and want the volume turned down.
—Steve Maugeri, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
That gig looked like a potential sign where Owen might be going after leaving Grey Sloan in the finale but, to Teddy’s relief, Owen turned down the offer (at least for now), leaving us guessing how the two characters would be written off.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
The Baltimore Ravens, who had entered the challenge and won, turned down Musk’s offer after initial meetings with the company.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
Subverting the expectations sown by Harry’s House, his 2022 Grammy winner, the 32-year-old pop idol has turned down his star power to create a more sensory musical experience.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Born into an Orthodox Jewish family and raised in Brooklyn, Bettina turned down a scholarship to the Parsons School of Design to work as a stylist at a local textile company.
—Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
Izzo has turned down multiple opportunities to coach in the NBA, including with Cleveland and Atlanta.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
But in a market full of keyboards clamoring for attention, the Light Mount stands out by keeping the noise—and the fluff—firmly turned down.
—Aubrey Jowers, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
Downtown residents have been complaining to the city commission that the traffic and noise are unbearable and want the volume turned down.
—Steve Maugeri, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
That gig looked like a potential sign where Owen might be going after leaving Grey Sloan in the finale but, to Teddy’s relief, Owen turned down the offer (at least for now), leaving us guessing how the two characters would be written off.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 26 Mar. 2026
The Baltimore Ravens, who had entered the challenge and won, turned down Musk’s offer after initial meetings with the company.
—Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 26 Mar. 2026
Subverting the expectations sown by Harry’s House, his 2022 Grammy winner, the 32-year-old pop idol has turned down his star power to create a more sensory musical experience.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turned down
Verb
-
Thompson refused to comply and raised the firearm toward the officers.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Some customers claimed that they were still charged for a subscription despite attempts to cancel it, and that the company then refused to give them a refund.—
Rebecca Strong,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tobolowsky previously rejected motions from other Gateway elders, ruling that the suit was not a religious issue and could be handled in secular court.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
-
My first preference was always the path of diplomacy, yet the regime continued their relentless quest for nuclear weapons and rejected every attempt at an agreement.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
All of the candidates would be newcomers to the board, since incumbents Denise Fears and Blake Roberson declined to run.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Uber declined to comment on its latest entry into the autonomous vehicle market.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Travis Di Lombardi-Spicer quit his audio producing job on the spot after getting passed up for a raise in January 2025.—
Megan Sauer
Sarah Jackson
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Lee added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting, but passed up a potential final attempt with the game on the line.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turned down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turned%20down. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
