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
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Recent Examples of turns down
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
Later, Taylor turns down a job offer that would bring him back to the Dillon Panthers so his wife, Tami (Britton), can pursue her dream job in Philadelphia.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
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
Later, Taylor turns down a job offer that would bring him back to the Dillon Panthers so his wife, Tami (Britton), can pursue her dream job in Philadelphia.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turns down
Verb
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In the nation’s fastest-gentrifying city, Black DC refuses quiet erasure.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
-
The seat is open, but no election has been called, not because the people didn’t care, but because the governor refuses to act.—
Daryl Campbell,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Apparently, if eBay’s board rejects the offer, Cohen is reportedly willing to take it directly to shareholders.—
Josh Brown and Sean Russo,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
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If the Supreme Court rejects the administration’s argument, Venezuelans, Haitians, and other TPS beneficiaries could use it to continue arguing for their protections in court.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When a security system declines a valid purchase, the customer often abandons the cart and moves to a competitor.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
-
Distribution revenue was $858 million as vs $870 million on net subscriber declines.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Turns down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turns%20down. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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