variants or less commonly refusnik
1
: a Soviet citizen and especially a Jew refused permission to emigrate
2
: a person who refuses or declines something

Examples of refusenik in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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After getting a secret greenlight in March 1990, Mr. Reichmann was aboard his private plane to Lithuania to pick up refusenik Raiz and his son. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 10 Jan. 2023 When the Soviet Union lifted its ban on the Jewish refusenik emigration in 1971, my family saw their opportunity to start over in America. Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2022

Word History

Etymology

partial translation of Russian otkaznik, from otkaz refusal

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of refusenik was in 1973

Dictionary Entries Near refusenik

Cite this Entry

“Refusenik.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refusenik. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

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