Synonyms of turning down

turning down

verb

present participle of turn down

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• refusing
• rejecting
• declining
• passing up
• throwing over
• balking (at)
• throwing out
• ignoring
• passing
• avoiding
• denying
• turning one's back on
• dismissing
• withdrawing
• spurning
• vetoing
• disputing
• blowing off
• disapproving
• deselecting
• shooting down
• forbidding
• repudiating
• reprobating
• abstaining (from)
• refraining (from)
• nixing
• negativing
• taking back
• backing down
• disagreeing (with)
• backing off
• scouting
• prohibiting
• overruling
• disdaining
• proscribing
• rebuffing
• unsaying
• scorning
• retracting
• renouncing
• recalling
• sticking
• forbearing
• revoking
• disclaiming
• contradicting
• refuting
• disavowing
• recanting
• controverting
• forswearing
• disproving
• gainsaying
• abjuring
• bypassing
• rebutting
• detouring
• negating
• disowning
• backtracking
• disallowing
• reneging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• agreeing (to)
• accepting
• approving
• receiving
• swallowing
• taking
• adopting
• tolerating
• embracing
• welcoming
• agreeing
• selecting
• choosing
• consenting
• condoning
• assenting
• acceding
• countenancing
• supporting
• acquiescing
• espousing
• handpicking

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of turning down

The woman accused of keeping him captive, 58-year-old Kimberly Sullivan, is expected to head to trial after turning down two plea deals during a hearing in Waterbury Superior Court earlier this month. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026

But for a sport the size of fencing, turning down attention is an unaffordable luxury. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Closing the curtains tightly before bed and turning down the thermostat also help. — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026

Tucker entered last offseason as the consensus top free agent after turning down a qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

After all, the billionaire founder lived a whirlwind of a career, turning down lucrative job offers and weathering professional rejection before ultimately launching one of the world’s biggest biotech companies. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026

Figuring out how to stay cool at night used to mean turning down the thermostat, pointing a fan at the bed or buying lighter sheets. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026

For McConaughey, turning down The Last of Us was less about the material and more about his own life’s circumstances. — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026

Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys said the city has spent four years turning down redevelopment offers for Palmetto Research Park in an effort to hold the property for higher-wage employers. — John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026