as in refuses
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 turns down
Pairing a floral sundress with a pair of white sneakers turns down the volume on the feminine formality, making the classic piece a bit less fussy.
—
Amber Rambharose,
InStyle,
18 June 2026
If a local school board turns down a charter, the organizers can appeal to the OC Board, which covers the whole county.
—
John Seiler,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
May 14, 2014 Steve Kerr is hired Kerr turns down an offer from the New York Knicks to work with Phil Jackson, his former coach with the Chicago Bulls, to sign a five-year, $25 million contract to coach the Warriors.
—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
When Towns turns down 3-point shots, the Hawks win.
—
James L. Edwards Iii,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
And there’s another anatomical quirk in our eyeballs that turns down our perception of blue specifically in the center of our vision.
—
Nora Bradford,
Scientific American,
23 Mar. 2026
But everyone seemed to agree that this year’s event was about more than just linking turns down the snowy slopes.
—
James Edward Mills,
Outside,
15 Mar. 2026
Stung by his firing from The Lovely Bones, Wahlberg turns down The Fighter, thinking the film won’t be a big enough splash to turn his career around.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Sentimental Value stars Stellan Skarsgård as an aging film director whose attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) are made difficult after Nora turns down a part in his next movie.
—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Amber Rambharose,
InStyle,
18 June 2026
If a local school board turns down a charter, the organizers can appeal to the OC Board, which covers the whole county.
—
John Seiler,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
May 14, 2014 Steve Kerr is hired Kerr turns down an offer from the New York Knicks to work with Phil Jackson, his former coach with the Chicago Bulls, to sign a five-year, $25 million contract to coach the Warriors.
—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
When Towns turns down 3-point shots, the Hawks win.
—
James L. Edwards Iii,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
And there’s another anatomical quirk in our eyeballs that turns down our perception of blue specifically in the center of our vision.
—
Nora Bradford,
Scientific American,
23 Mar. 2026
But everyone seemed to agree that this year’s event was about more than just linking turns down the snowy slopes.
—
James Edward Mills,
Outside,
15 Mar. 2026
Stung by his firing from The Lovely Bones, Wahlberg turns down The Fighter, thinking the film won’t be a big enough splash to turn his career around.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
Sentimental Value stars Stellan Skarsgård as an aging film director whose attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) are made difficult after Nora turns down a part in his next movie.
—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns down
Verb
-
But restraint can create value when management refuses to invest simply because capital is available.
-
And yet your brain refuses to commit.
Verb
-
Yet the Kremlin rejects the allegations and denies wrongdoing there.
-
The Israel Prison Service rejects allegations of abuse, starvation, or denial of medical treatment.
Verb
-
Kojima Productions declines to share more information on Kier's involvement, though filming has now properly begun with the actors on OD.
-
Democratic voters are more likely to vote by mail than Republicans so stand to benefit in future elections if the Supreme Court declines to get involved.
Cite this Entry
“Turns down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turns%20down. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
