reject

1 of 2

verb

re·​ject ri-ˈjekt 

rejected; rejecting; rejects

transitive verb

1

a

: to refuse to accept, consider, submit to, take for some purpose, or use

rejected the suggestion

reject a manuscript

b

: to refuse to hear, receive, or admit : rebuff, repel

parents who reject their children

c

: to refuse as lover or spouse

2

obsolete : to cast off

3

: throw back, repulse

4

: to spew out

5

: to subject to immunological rejection

rejecter noun

or rejector

ri-ˈjek-tər 

rejectingly

ri-ˈjek-tiŋ-lē 

adverb

rejective

ri-ˈjek-tiv 

adjective

reject

2 of 2

noun

re·​ject ˈrē-ˌjekt 

: a rejected person or thing

especially : one rejected as not wanted, unsatisfactory, or not fulfilling requirements

Synonyms

Verb

• decline
• deny
• disallow
• disapprove
• negative
• nix
• refuse
• reprobate
• withhold

Noun

• castaway
• castoff
• leper
• offscouring
• outcast
• pariah

Choose the Right Synonym for reject

decline, refuse, reject, repudiate, spurn mean to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering.

decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

declined his party's nomination

refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

refused to lend them the money

reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

spurned his overtures of friendship

Examples of reject in a Sentence

Verb

My teacher rejected my excuse for being late.

The committee rejected my proposal.

The produce inspector rejected several crates of berries that had begun to grow mold.

The college rejects hundreds of applicants each year.

We rejected 5 of the 10 job applicants right away.

Noun

Stack the promising applications here, and put the rejects over there.

was the school reject as a child and has low self-esteem even today

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Never the favorite of his party's professional advisers, Merz was twice rejected as Merkel's successor as party leader, in 2018 and 2021, before his doggedness won out in 2022. —Thomas Escritt, USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2025

When this innate drive for self-expansion is unfulfilled within the current relationship, individuals may seek it elsewhere—including through infidelity. Cheating, in this case, isn’t necessarily about rejecting a relationship but about reclaiming a lost sense of self. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025

Noun

But fans of the show's illustrious rejects — would-be cast members who auditioned but didn't get invited to join the cast — could make an argument their team has had just as much success, maybe more. —Saba Hamedy, NBC News, 17 Feb. 2025

His growth throughout the series is kind of the whole point of the show, from the social reject of the village to one of its most reliable and trustworthy warriors, beloved by all. —David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Latin rejectus, past participle of reicere, from re- + jacere to throw — more at jet

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1555, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for reject

• affect
• aspect
• bedecked
• bisect
• collect
• connect
• correct
• deflect
• detect
• direct
• dissect
• effect

Kids Definition

reject

1 of 2 verb

re·​ject ri-ˈjekt 

1

: to refuse to admit, believe, or receive

2

: to throw away as useless or unsatisfactory

3

: to refuse to grant or consider

4

: to cause the rejection of by the immune system

the body of the patient started to reject the transplanted heart

reject

2 of 2 noun

re·​ject ˈrē-ˌjekt 

: a rejected person or thing

Medical Definition

reject

transitive verb

re·​ject ri-ˈjekt 

1

: to rebuff, repel, refuse to hear, or withhold love from

especially : to communicate negative feelings toward and a wish to be free of

parents who reject their children

2

: to subject to immunological rejection

rejected a heart transplant

rejective

ri-ˈjek-tiv 

adjective

Legal Definition

reject

transitive verb

re·​ject ri-ˈjekt 

: to refuse to accept, acknowledge, or grant compare revoke