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
But a chat message from Washington to a colleague, released to KUOW and ProPublica last week through a public records request, spells out additional reasons for turning down Daugaard’s proposal.
—
Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2025
In Georgia, a neonatal intensive care unit colleague who asked not to be named says parents are turning down Tylenol use for premature babies born with a heart condition that has long been successfully treated with the medication.
—Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Ament, 18, will soon begin his freshman season for the Tennessee Volunteers after turning down a multitude of suitors.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
At the time, she had also been accepted to Juilliard and considered turning down the role.
—Hannah Parry
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
But if United chose this path by signing two big-money attacking midfielders this summer, so too did Fernandes by turning down Al Hilal’s offer to play in the Saudi Pro League.
—Mark Critchley, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Can states risk turning down massive economic development investments?
—Delaney Nolan, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2025
Counsell jumped from the Brewers to the Cubs two years ago, landing a precedent-setting contract in Chicago while turning down an attractive offer to stay in Milwaukee.
—Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Neeta Satam | Bloomberg | Getty Images Some 3,200 Boeing defense unit workers went on strike for the first time in almost three decades early Monday after turning down a contract offer with the company.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025
Ashley Hiruko, ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2025
In Georgia, a neonatal intensive care unit colleague who asked not to be named says parents are turning down Tylenol use for premature babies born with a heart condition that has long been successfully treated with the medication.
—Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Ament, 18, will soon begin his freshman season for the Tennessee Volunteers after turning down a multitude of suitors.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 18 Sep. 2025
At the time, she had also been accepted to Juilliard and considered turning down the role.
—Hannah Parry
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
But if United chose this path by signing two big-money attacking midfielders this summer, so too did Fernandes by turning down Al Hilal’s offer to play in the Saudi Pro League.
—Mark Critchley, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Can states risk turning down massive economic development investments?
—Delaney Nolan, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2025
Counsell jumped from the Brewers to the Cubs two years ago, landing a precedent-setting contract in Chicago while turning down an attractive offer to stay in Milwaukee.
—Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Neeta Satam | Bloomberg | Getty Images Some 3,200 Boeing defense unit workers went on strike for the first time in almost three decades early Monday after turning down a contract offer with the company.
—Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning down
Verb
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One person was arrested after blocking the roadway and refusing to move their vehicle, Lee said, adding that the person was later transported for medical reasons but remains subject to arrest.—
Stephanie Murray,
AZCentral.com,
18 Oct. 2025
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In August 2023, the airline apologized to two passengers who were escorted off a plane after refusing to sit in a soiled seat.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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House Speaker Mike Johnson is rejecting calls for Congress to hold a separate vote to pay military service members, who could miss paychecks next week if the government shutdown continues.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been adamant in rejecting the idea of an independent Palestinian state, and his polices over the years have often worked to undermine the PA, which aspires to govern a future State of Palestine.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Screening is key Across all ages, colorectal cancer cases and related deaths in the US have been declining for decades, Ng said, attributing that success to improvements in treatment and public health efforts to promote screening.—
Andrea Kane,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Many consumers have started to turn their backs on luxury goods; fed up with a lack of ingenuity, skyrocketing daily expenses, and arguably declining quality, shoppers are thinking twice before splurging on designer items.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Wembanyama has been passing up many reasonable 3-point looks in the preseason and only taking wide-open ones.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
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Science scores were also mixed between grades, with 5th graders passing up 1%, 8th graders down 2% and high schoolers down 3%.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mayfield was 8 of 9 for 144 yards throwing over the middle against a defense that lost Warner on the second defensive series.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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And while Tapestry had hoped to gather learnings on footwear production, word in the shoe market from investment bankers was that its biggest mistake was in throwing out the lasts that the brand’s founder and chief designer had perfected over the years.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
23 Sep. 2025
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Although he’s been linked to other teams already, one idea worth throwing out there is Kevin Love.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Turning down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20down. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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