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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
Natasha Turak, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025
Khamenei rebuffed the outreach Saturday during a meeting with government and military officials.
—Luke Garrett, NPR, 9 Mar. 2025
Charlie is clearly uncomfortable with Buck’s incessant insistence to revive the past, and rebuffs Buck’s numerous advances – from nonstop phone calls to unexpected office visits.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025
During Trump’s first term, for instance, his administration annually proposed deep budget cuts to education, only to be rebuffed as lawmakers increased the department’s funding, according to NBC News.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 4 Mar. 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 16 Mar. 2025.
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