REJECT Synonyms: 220 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

reject 1 of 2

verb

ri-ˈjekt

Definition of reject next

as in to refuse

to be unwilling to grant rejected his request for time off

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to deny

to declare not to be true I reject the claim that I have ever lied about that

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to discard

to get rid of as useless or unwanted sorted through the nuts and rejected any that had cracked shells or were shattered

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to decline

to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to rejected his marriage proposal

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

reject

2 of 2

noun

ˈrē-ˌjekt

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

insider

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

Examples 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

Ultimately, Republicans rejected Trump’s demand to eliminate the debt limit completely. —

David Sivak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 19 Dec. 2024 Government shutdown:Donald Trump rejects bipartisan plan to avoid a government shutdown, sets up debt ceiling battle When is the government shutdown deadline? —

Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024

Noun

Broke, unemployed and facing eviction, the aspiring screenwriter and grad-school reject needed a quick hustle to keep the lights on. —

Janay Kingsberry, Washington Post, 7 July 2024 That band of rejects includes River Cartwright, an MI5 legacy and fail(grand)son who gets demoted to Slough House in the series premiere after spectacularly screwing up a training exercise. —

Joe Reid, Vulture, 18 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for reject

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reject

Verb

The most memorable productions may have involved classics of one kind or another, but these works were reborn in stagings that refused to play it safe.

Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
China has labeled Lai a separatist and refuses to engage in dialogue with him, further increasing hostilities.

Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024