as in refusing
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
I'm afraid that I will have to turn down your invitation
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Recent Examples of turning down
The company has also been the subject of acquisition rumors in recent months, reportedly turning down interest from both Sazerac and Pernod Ricard.
—
Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Carlos is on his way to the casino, turning down his mother’s offer of his favorite lunch and proceeding with such purpose that his head is barely turned by a parade of the gayest matelots since Pierre et Gilles’ 2005 book Sailors & Sea.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 May 2026
The trade came one year after Odighizuwa signed a four-year, $80 million extension with Dallas after reportedly turning down more money to remain with the Cowboys.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
In hindsight, Julius Randle turning down a potential drive to the rim and instead lobbing a grenade to Rudy Gobert near the end of the shot clock was a harbinger of the rest of his night.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
He was advised by a judge that turning down the plea bargain and heading to trial exposes him to as many as 37 years in prison.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
That’s what was needed to justify turning down an offer with a big premium from a legitimate business — no matter the board’s preferred outcome for the company.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
When that venture didn’t work out, Elliott returned to the recording business, turning down overtures from Emanuel, who was the best man at his wedding, to work as an agent.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods are among the sport’s top stars to steadfastly remain loyal to the PGA Tour, with Woods turning down an offer from LIV Golf of $800 million in 2022.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Emily Price, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Carlos is on his way to the casino, turning down his mother’s offer of his favorite lunch and proceeding with such purpose that his head is barely turned by a parade of the gayest matelots since Pierre et Gilles’ 2005 book Sailors & Sea.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 May 2026
The trade came one year after Odighizuwa signed a four-year, $80 million extension with Dallas after reportedly turning down more money to remain with the Cowboys.
—Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2026
In hindsight, Julius Randle turning down a potential drive to the rim and instead lobbing a grenade to Rudy Gobert near the end of the shot clock was a harbinger of the rest of his night.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026
He was advised by a judge that turning down the plea bargain and heading to trial exposes him to as many as 37 years in prison.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
That’s what was needed to justify turning down an offer with a big premium from a legitimate business — no matter the board’s preferred outcome for the company.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
When that venture didn’t work out, Elliott returned to the recording business, turning down overtures from Emanuel, who was the best man at his wedding, to work as an agent.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 21 Apr. 2026
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods are among the sport’s top stars to steadfastly remain loyal to the PGA Tour, with Woods turning down an offer from LIV Golf of $800 million in 2022.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning down
Verb
-
New York Knicks owner James Dolan is refusing to let go of his grudge against Charles Oakley, even with the franchise back in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
-
He was stripped of his heavyweight title and sentenced to a five-year prison term for refusing induction into the military (the Supreme Court unanimously overturned Ali’s conviction on appeal).—
Michael Cunningham,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
After initially rejecting a sanctuary city designation and related proposals, the council later adopted a broader resolution aimed at protecting immigrant communities.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
29 May 2026
-
The act also is seen as a symbol of rejecting evil and a commemoration of the Prophet Ibrahim’s rejection of temptation when the devil tried to dissuade him from submitting to God’s will.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Writers and reporters at the conference are learning how to improve their coverage of topics, including changes to education at the federal and state levels, the use of artificial intelligence in schools, and declining enrollment.—
Kellye Lynn,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
-
As Hartford education officials work to mitigate a large budget deficit, a report from an outside firm The Connecticut State Department of Education hired to review Hartford Public Schools’ financials found that declining enrollment and decisions regarding salaries and hiring are to blame.—
Livi Stanford,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2026
Verb
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The Supreme Court is staying out of a case about whether the Catholic Church misled parishioners about the purpose of an annual collection, passing up a chance to probe the independence churches have from government interference.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
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Simpson was back in Los Angeles for the first time since April 24, the day after the seemingly Super Bowl-ready Rams surprised many by passing up the opportunity to select a receiver to choose an Alabama quarterback with only 15 starts.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Anthony had a cortisone shot last week and had begun throwing over the weekend.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
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Next, a gentle tip-tap rippling through major East Coast cities, as the girls collectively add to cart whatever Holmes is toting or throwing over her shoulders.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Knights’ highlighted their effort by throwing out a runner at the plate in the second inning.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
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Murakami is working on a two-year, $34 million deal, and in an era when some teams try to lock up young talent with long and lucrative contract extensions, a 25-game sample size is a little too small for Getz to start throwing out more years and dollars.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turning down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20down. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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