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refusal

UK/ɹɪˈfjuːzl̩/US/ɹɪˈfjuːzl̩/
nounC1Common in everyday speech and writing · #7,441 of 15,258leans written

Other forms: refusals

A refusal is a statement that you will not. A flat refusal, meet with refusal, refusal to answer.

It is the act as well as the words, which is why refusals get counted — planning refusals, visa refusals. First refusal is the right to accept or decline before anybody else is offered the thing, which is a valuable right and often misunderstood as a right to refuse. Note refuse; and that a refusal in riding is a horse stopping at a jump.

Definitions of refusal

  1. 1nounrefusalA statement that you will not.C1

    “Her refusal to answer the question made everyone suspicious.”

refusal is a declining.

Where it comes from

  1. Middle English

    refusell

  2. English, today

    refusal

From Middle English refusell.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Word Building

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refusal in the wild

  • In Norse mythology, Syn is a goddess associated with defensive refusal.

    Syn (goddess)

  • A first refusal right must have at least three parties: the owner, the third party or buyer, and the option holder.

    Right of first refusal

  • The right of first refusal is similar in concept to a call option.

    Right of first refusal

  • Radical political positions have openly advocated refusal of work.

    Refusal of work

  • School refusal is a child-motivated refusal to attend school or difficulty remaining in class for the full day.

    School refusal

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.