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Many English verbs begin with the prefix re-, meaning “again” or “backward,” so we wouldn’t criticize you for drawing a connection between rebuff and buff, a verb meaning “to polish or shine.” But rebuff would beg to differ: this word comes to us from the Middle French verb rebuffer, which traces back to the Old Italian ribuffare, meaning “to reprimand.” (Buff, in contrast, comes from the Middle French noun buffle, meaning “wild ox”). A similar word, rebuke, shares the “criticize” sense of rebuff, but not the “reject” sense; one can rebuke another’s actions or policies, but one does not rebuke the advances of another, for example. Like rebuke, rebuff can also be used as a noun, as in “The proposal was met with a stern rebuff from the Board of Trustees.”
Examples of rebuff in a Sentence
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025
Of course, being misunderstood or rebuffed—when your jokes fall flat or your stories are met with embarrassed silence—is never pleasant.
—Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 14 July 2025
Liverpool have shown no indication of entertaining negotiations for Diaz and already rebuffed an initial approach by Barca at the start of June.
—Pol Ballús, New York Times, 9 July 2025
Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty/Canva Cortes: America's ongoing rebirth rebuffs the globalist detractors and lawless nihilists who tear down statues, riot, and promote uncontrolled migration.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rebuff
Cite this Entry
“Rebuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebuff. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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