reject 1 of 2

verb

ri-ˈjekt How to pronounce reject (audio)
Definition of rejectnext
1
as in to refuse
to be unwilling to grant rejected his request for time off

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deny
to declare not to be true I reject the claim that I have ever lied about that

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to discard
to get rid of as useless or unwanted sorted through the nuts and rejected any that had cracked shells or were shattered

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to decline
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to rejected his marriage proposal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reject

2 of 2

noun

ˈrē-ˌjekt How to pronounce reject (audio)
1
as in outcast
one who is cast out or rejected by society was the school reject as a child and has low self-esteem even today

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in discard
something separated from a group or lot for not being as good as the others that apple has a mushy spot on it, so it's a reject

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word reject different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of reject are decline, refuse, repudiate, and spurn. While all these words mean "to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering," reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

When might decline be a better fit than reject?

While in some cases nearly identical to reject, decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

declined his party's nomination

When would refuse be a good substitute for reject?

The words refuse and reject are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

refused to lend them the money

When could repudiate be used to replace reject?

The meanings of repudiate and reject largely overlap; however, repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

When is it sensible to use spurn instead of reject?

Although the words spurn and reject have much in common, spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

spurned his overtures of friendship

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 reject
Verb
The jury rejected the BBC's defense that its journalism was fair, responsible and in the public interest. —Fatima Al-Kassab, NPR, 30 May 2025 In December, the state Legislature initially rejected the plan because of funding ambiguities. —Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Noun
Instead of letting the weird baking mixes or seasonings go to waste, team up with your partner or roommates and make an Iron Chef style meal of the rejects. —Grace McCarty, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024 Led by the foul-mouthed and fouler-smelling Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), the team of rejects consists of River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung), Louisa Guy (Rosalind Eleazar) and Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves) among others including newcomer, J.K. Coe (Thomas Brooke). —Erik Kain, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for reject
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reject
  1. refuse
  2. deny
  3. discard
  4. decline
  5. outcast
  6. rejection
  7. refute
  8. dump
Verb
  • Indian officials had previously refused to confirm even a single aircraft loss.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
  • Wyatt, the senior ace on his way to Michigan, and Walker, the gritty junior second baseman who refused to give up on his dream of starting, paused when trying to wrap their heads around the scene unfolding around them.
    — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 31 May 2025
Definition of refuse
Verb
  • The university in January 2024 denied Tucker’s appeal of the findings.
    — Kenny Jacoby, USA Today, 4 June 2025
  • According to officers, the man acknowledged engaging in lewd behavior and taking photos of children but denied touching anyone.
    — Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 4 June 2025
Definition of deny
Verb
  • Disposable paper dresses enjoyed a brief vogue in the turbulent late 1960s, when young people literally wore their politics and interests on their sleeves—but were prepared to discard them as easily as a piece of Kleenex.
    — Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 May 2025
  • The first-stage booster that had been tapped during the original attempts was discarded for a new booster.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2025
Definition of discard
Verb
  • The April 11 ruling came during a hearing in Maryland, where a Justice Department attorney declined to provide basic details about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts.
    — Chantelle Lee, Time, 7 June 2025
  • Travis' declining mental health began to affect his parenting, which led Whitney to limit Travis' visitation, per a September 2024 court filing reviewed by PEOPLE.
    — Nicole Acosta, People.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of decline
Noun
  • The two were considered outcasts, and Edward VII only met with his brother King George a few times after his abdication, briefly and without his wife.
    — Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 7 June 2025
  • Interviewed by The Times in 2022 about her musical, Ms. Sobule emphasized that her goal was to reach a broad audience of people who felt like outcasts.
    — Hank Sanders, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Definition of outcast
Noun
  • The founder who avoids raising prices fears rejection.
    — Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • But the first lady's office squashed those rejection rumors for her son last week.
    — Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 2 June 2025
Definition of rejection
Verb
  • Security camera footage, however, refuted his story, according to the court documents.
    — Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2025
  • Yet a source close to the contract negotiations, who requested anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic, refuted that claim.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025
Definition of refute
Verb
  • Credential dumps from breached companies are traded daily on the dark web.
    — Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • To stay on the show, each Islander must couple up with another Islander or risk being dumped from the villa.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 5 June 2025
Definition of dump

Browse Nearby Words

reiterative
reject
rejected
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Cite this Entry

“Reject.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reject. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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