Refusal
noun
The act of not agreeing, accepting, or doing something.
His refusal to accept the job offer surprised everyone.
Often appears as...
- refusal to comply
- refusal to accept
noun
The act of not giving, doing or supplying something.
Her refusal to lend him money made him angry.
Often appears as...
- refusal to provide
- refusal to offer
noun
A denial of a request or right.
The court issued a refusal of his appeal.
Often appears as...
- refusal of appeal
- refusal of request
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
noun
The act of not agreeing, accepting, or doing something.
His refusal to accept the job offer surprised everyone.
Often appears as...
- refusal to comply
- refusal to accept
noun
The act of not giving, doing or supplying something.
Her refusal to lend him money made him angry.
Often appears as...
- refusal to provide
- refusal to offer
noun
A denial of a request or right.
The court issued a refusal of his appeal.
Often appears as...
- refusal of appeal
- refusal of request
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Personal Decision
Used to describe a person's firm choice to decline something offered or suggested.
His refusal to go to the party was based on personal reasons.
Pro Tip 2/3Surprise Element
Emphasizes unexpectedness when someone doesn't agree to what's normally accepted.
Her sudden refusal to join the project team caught us off guard.
Pro Tip 3/3Strong Disagreement
Shows a strong or principled disagreement, not mere difference in preference.
His refusal of the deal signaled a deep disagreement with their terms.
Pro Tip 1/3Personal Decision
Used to describe a person's firm choice to decline something offered or suggested.
His refusal to go to the party was based on personal reasons.
Pro Tip 2/3Surprise Element
Emphasizes unexpectedness when someone doesn't agree to what's normally accepted.
Her sudden refusal to join the project team caught us off guard.
Pro Tip 3/3Strong Disagreement
Shows a strong or principled disagreement, not mere difference in preference.
His refusal of the deal signaled a deep disagreement with their terms.
Pro Tip 1/3Personal Decision
Used to describe a person's firm choice to decline something offered or suggested.
His refusal to go to the party was based on personal reasons.
Pro Tip 2/3Surprise Element
Emphasizes unexpectedness when someone doesn't agree to what's normally accepted.
Her sudden refusal to join the project team caught us off guard.
Pro Tip 3/3Strong Disagreement
Shows a strong or principled disagreement, not mere difference in preference.
His refusal of the deal signaled a deep disagreement with their terms.
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Video examples
Re-examining the remix -...
after letter attacking YouTube's refusal to be more respectful of fair use but they're extraordinary notice and takedown system that led his campaign so many times to be thrown off the internet now that was a story of me then my good old days of right-wing lunacy let me
Video examples
The Triumph and Tragedy...
soil he said that money that land was bought with the work of peasants it's their land and i will not sell it he gave it away my great-grandfather's refusal to sell or trade his land became a huge source of conflict in the family lotha's father was enraged that the
Video examples
Karima Bennoune: The...
and support their grassroots opponents. Now let me be clear that I support an effective struggle against fundamentalism, but also a struggle that must itself respect international law, so nothing I am saying should be taken as a justification for refusals
Video examples
Our story of rape and...
It is important to now state that I didn't see my deed for what it was. The word "rape" didn't echo around my mind as it should've, and I wasn't crucifying myself with memories of the night before. It wasn't so much a conscious refusal,
Video examples
Don't fear superintellige...
who is indifferent to our humanity. I believe that such fears are unfounded. Indeed, we stand at a remarkable time in human history, where, driven by refusal to accept the limits of our bodies and our minds, we are building machines
Video examples
Dare to refuse the...
And it's not just a sort of teenage refusal to be labeled. It's about our own most identities, the ones that we put our hands up to, the ones that we cheer for, the ones that we fight for, the ones that we love or hate.
Video examples
The urgency of...
needed to combine a race and gender discrimination claim to tell the story of the discrimination they were experiencing. Why wasn't the real unfairness law's refusal to protect African-American women
Video examples
Black Women and the...
while other suffragists are prepared to stand back during the war she is prepared in us to go ahead and even liken wilson and his refusal to support the vote for women she will liken that
Video examples
My photographs bear...
They aim their pictures at your best instincts, generosity, a sense of right and wrong, the ability and the willingness to identify with others, the refusal to accept the unacceptable.
Video examples
Lawrence Lessig:...
who was the number one, active opponent of this system of regulation in online speech? John McCain. Letter after letter attacking YouTube's refusal to be more respectful of fair use
Video examples
Re-examining the remix -...
after letter attacking YouTube's refusal to be more respectful of fair use but they're extraordinary notice and takedown system that led his campaign so many times to be thrown off the internet now that was a story of me then my good old days of right-wing lunacy let me
Video examples
The Triumph and Tragedy...
soil he said that money that land was bought with the work of peasants it's their land and i will not sell it he gave it away my great-grandfather's refusal to sell or trade his land became a huge source of conflict in the family lotha's father was enraged that the
Video examples
Karima Bennoune: The...
and support their grassroots opponents. Now let me be clear that I support an effective struggle against fundamentalism, but also a struggle that must itself respect international law, so nothing I am saying should be taken as a justification for refusals
Video examples
Our story of rape and...
It is important to now state that I didn't see my deed for what it was. The word "rape" didn't echo around my mind as it should've, and I wasn't crucifying myself with memories of the night before. It wasn't so much a conscious refusal,
Video examples
Don't fear superintellige...
who is indifferent to our humanity. I believe that such fears are unfounded. Indeed, we stand at a remarkable time in human history, where, driven by refusal to accept the limits of our bodies and our minds, we are building machines
Video examples
Dare to refuse the...
And it's not just a sort of teenage refusal to be labeled. It's about our own most identities, the ones that we put our hands up to, the ones that we cheer for, the ones that we fight for, the ones that we love or hate.
Video examples
The urgency of...
needed to combine a race and gender discrimination claim to tell the story of the discrimination they were experiencing. Why wasn't the real unfairness law's refusal to protect African-American women
Video examples
Black Women and the...
while other suffragists are prepared to stand back during the war she is prepared in us to go ahead and even liken wilson and his refusal to support the vote for women she will liken that
Video examples
My photographs bear...
They aim their pictures at your best instincts, generosity, a sense of right and wrong, the ability and the willingness to identify with others, the refusal to accept the unacceptable.
Video examples
Lawrence Lessig:...
who was the number one, active opponent of this system of regulation in online speech? John McCain. Letter after letter attacking YouTube's refusal to be more respectful of fair use
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Malorie Blackman
British Writer
I have encountered those who feel that libraries have served their purpose and are no longer needed. There are those who consider them a soft target when it comes to local authority budget cuts. In certain political quarters, there is a refusal to see that our public library service needs active protection.
Quote examples
Raoul Vaneigem
Belgian Philosopher
People who talk about revolution and class struggle without referring explicitly to everyday life, without understanding what is subversive about love and what is positive in the refusal of constraints, such people have a corpse in their mouth.
Quote examples
J. D. Vance
American Author
Liberals have to get more comfortable with dealing with the poor as they actually are. I admire their refusal to look down on the least among us, but at some level, that can become an excuse to never really look at the problem at all.
Quote examples
Lizz Wright
American Musician
I see 'Grace' as an affectionate refusal of things that just aren't true. With all our power and money and influence, we still can't raise up high over people's consciousness.
Quote examples
Christine Todd Whitman
American Politician
Gary Johnson's refusal or inability to name a single foreign leader, current or former, whom he admired, showed that he is not ready for the presidency.
Quote examples
Fran Lebowitz
American Journalist
Stand firm in your refusal to remain conscious during algebra. In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra.
Quote examples
Thomas S. Monson
American Clergyman
Perhaps the surest test of an individual's integrity is his refusal to do or say anything that would damage his self-respect.
Quote examples
Harold Ramis
American Actor
My characters aren't losers. They're rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone else's rules.
Quote examples
Herbert Kaufman
American Writer
Words signify man's refusal to accept the world as it is.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
Quote examples
Malorie Blackman
British Writer
I have encountered those who feel that libraries have served their purpose and are no longer needed. There are those who consider them a soft target when it comes to local authority budget cuts. In certain political quarters, there is a refusal to see that our public library service needs active protection.
Quote examples
Raoul Vaneigem
Belgian Philosopher
People who talk about revolution and class struggle without referring explicitly to everyday life, without understanding what is subversive about love and what is positive in the refusal of constraints, such people have a corpse in their mouth.
Quote examples
J. D. Vance
American Author
Liberals have to get more comfortable with dealing with the poor as they actually are. I admire their refusal to look down on the least among us, but at some level, that can become an excuse to never really look at the problem at all.
Quote examples
Lizz Wright
American Musician
I see 'Grace' as an affectionate refusal of things that just aren't true. With all our power and money and influence, we still can't raise up high over people's consciousness.
Quote examples
Christine Todd Whitman
American Politician
Gary Johnson's refusal or inability to name a single foreign leader, current or former, whom he admired, showed that he is not ready for the presidency.
Quote examples
Fran Lebowitz
American Journalist
Stand firm in your refusal to remain conscious during algebra. In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra.
Quote examples
Thomas S. Monson
American Clergyman
Perhaps the surest test of an individual's integrity is his refusal to do or say anything that would damage his self-respect.
Quote examples
Harold Ramis
American Actor
My characters aren't losers. They're rebels. They win by their refusal to play by everyone else's rules.
Quote examples
Herbert Kaufman
American Writer
Words signify man's refusal to accept the world as it is.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
A refusal of praise is a desire to be praised twice.
Example 1 of 10
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