rejection

noun

ri-ˈjek-shən How to pronounce rejection (audio)
Definition of rejectionnext
1
as in denial
a refusal to confirm the truth of a statement made a flat rejection of the charges against him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in refusal
an unwillingness to grant something asked for the judge's swift rejection of the lawyer's request for a recess

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in discard
something separated from a group or lot for not being as good as the others that pile is for rejections, and this one is for applications we'll be accepting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 rejection As internal discontent mounts, Chinese leaders will look to deflect it, framing the root cause as America’s civilizational rejection of China’s rise. — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026 In a scene at the beginning of Episode 8, actor Siena Agudong, who plays Sue, expresses Flanagan’s belief that sincerely openhearted people like Carrie are met with rejection and seen as alien in a world where cynicism is our default mode. — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026 Proposals that could affect the budget were denied, according to the union, with many rejections coming at the last minute. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026 Then, owner Geoffrey Young sought to sidestep that rejection by applying for an agricultural enclave designation on July 1. — Nico Rivero, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rejection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rejection
  1. denial
  2. refusal
  3. discard
  4. reject
  5. second
  6. cull
Noun
  • However, Andersen believed the mantra bred a culture of denial.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The missile is intended for missions where aircraft may face anti-access and area-denial systems.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of denial
Noun
  • There are many legitimate reasons to bash Becerra, from his refusal to participate in more debates to his paltry number of public rallies to a platform that sounds like more of what created California’s current woes.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Plus, Swifties saw Swift and Alwyn’s refusal to make joint public appearances as a red flag.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of refusal
Noun
  • Drawing on classic trial films and cartoon lore, director Dave Green crafts an underdog story that mirrors the movie’s own David-versus-Goliath journey from studio discard to theatrical release.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • If liquid collects on the top of the discard, stir it in before using.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of discard
Noun
  • Before carving out a career in sports broadcasting and voice acting, Horton was just a teenaged high school basketball reject.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • And both the immune and eliminated designers are high on their own power; Elizabeth, in particular, is acting mighty haughty for a woman whose ruffled scarlet satin dress looks like a reject from the Westworld costume department.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 17 July 2026
Definition of reject
Noun
  • Jurors repeatedly reviewed surveillance video capturing the hours, minutes and seconds leading to the shooting before ultimately deadlocking on the homicide charges.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The ancient Egyptian city will experience an extraordinary 6 minutes 23 seconds of totality, close to the longest possible anywhere on Earth that day.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of second
Noun
  • The Supreme Court of Canada had stayed the cull order until the court decided whether to hear the appeal.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • For that, Nearmap turned to Sci-eye, a company that uses its AI models to count kangaroos, to inform government culls.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of cull

Browse Nearby Words

rejecting
rejection
rejections
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rejection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rejection. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on rejection

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rejection

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All