reject 1 of 2

1
2
3
4

reject

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Although the Duke of Sussex had offered to cover the costs of security, the bid was rejected. Simon Perry, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025 The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who twice rejected Trump’s effort to move his hush money criminal case from New York state court to federal court, a gambit aimed at advancing his presidential immunity claims. Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 8 Apr. 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
Verb
  • Instead, block unwanted calls and messages and refuse to provide financial information in response to an unexpected request.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Noboa refused to recognize Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela after his staged 2024 election and is also committed to fighting criminal gangs with all available resources to restore peace and security in Ecuador.
    Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 13 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The guys play too many matches and Didier can be a bit dense -- like denying a request for a couple weeks off to move to another country.
    Tom Williams, The Athletic, 25 Mar. 2025
  • The brothers have denied the additional charges as well.
    Julia Bonavita, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The patients alleged the company didn’t disclose the risk of false positives in genetic testing on embryos, which led them to discard potentially viable embryos.
    Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
  • One that was just discarded by Willard after three seasons and a Sweet 16 run.
    Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 10 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Lone Jack Police Chief Tim Cosner, who took the helm after the 2021 crash, declined to be interviewed about why the department’s policy changed.
    Bill Lukitsch, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
  • But declining attendances now sees that held in February each year.
    Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The story follows Anna, an outcast who discovers her deceased roommate’s diary and encounters a ghostly flame embodying her spirit.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
  • An outcast turned skilled hunter in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by robotic creatures, Aloy discovers her connection to an ancient scientist and embarks on a quest to uncover the truth about her origins and save humanity from extinction.
    Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Their firm rejection of federal government conditions also emphasizes autonomy's critical role in organizational health.
    Dan Pontefract, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • The 6-foot-11 big man is logging averages of 19.2 points, 10.4 boards, 4.9 dimes, 1.1 swipes and 0.8 rejections across his 75 available contests.
    David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Trump’s own Social Security chief eventually refuted the claim.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
  • His lawyers refute the charges and argue no crimes have been committed that violate his visa.
    Anna Spiegel, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • As the upper stage continues towards space, the lower stage falls, spiraling back to Earth, dumping what remains of its fuel.
    Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 25 Mar. 2025
  • Meat, eggs dumped Each year, broiler chickens lay about 360 million eggs that are not fit to hatch chicks, according to the council.
    Tom Polansek, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reject.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reject. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on reject

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!