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reject

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noun

1
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

2
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

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 reject
Verb
The jury rejected the BBC's defense that its journalism was fair, responsible and in the public interest. Fatima Al-Kassab, NPR, 30 May 2025 In December, the state Legislature initially rejected the plan because of funding ambiguities. Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Noun
Instead of letting the weird baking mixes or seasonings go to waste, team up with your partner or roommates and make an Iron Chef style meal of the rejects. Grace McCarty, SELF, 28 Dec. 2024 Led by the foul-mouthed and fouler-smelling Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), the team of rejects consists of River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), Roddy Ho (Christopher Chung), Louisa Guy (Rosalind Eleazar) and Catherine Standish (Saskia Reeves) among others including newcomer, J.K. Coe (Thomas Brooke). Erik Kain, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for reject
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reject
Verb
  • However, the end of the conversation was probably the headline – that Amodei refused to rule out AI becoming self-aware in key ways.
    John Werner, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Indian officials had previously refused to confirm even a single aircraft loss.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 31 May 2025
Verb
  • No matter the medium, there’s no denying that art stirs the senses unlike most forms of expression.
    Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • The Boise City Council denied that appeal in April in a 4-1 vote, with Council Member Luci Willits the lone dissenter.
    Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • Disposable paper dresses enjoyed a brief vogue in the turbulent late 1960s, when young people literally wore their politics and interests on their sleeves—but were prepared to discard them as easily as a piece of Kleenex.
    Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 May 2025
  • The first-stage booster that had been tapped during the original attempts was discarded for a new booster.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • Citigroup, Bank of America and Wells Fargo declined to comment on the WSJ report.
    John Bacon, USA Today, 26 May 2025
  • Yields have risen and the dollar has declined moderately.
    George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
Noun
  • His heroic journey from educational outcast to entrepreneurial icon left Rahal among a category of notable dyslexic entrepreneurs such as Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, and Shark Tank’s Barbara Corcoran (all of whom have publicly discussed their dyslexia).
    Megan Bruneau, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • Sachiko is a glamorous, modern-minded social outcast, marginalized both for her rejection of Japanese patriarchy and the scars of her and Mariko’s radiation exposure following the 1945 Nagasaki bombings.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • There’s no palm rejection when using the stylus, so my hand made unintended markings in my notes.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 22 May 2025
  • One key driver of this was the constant exposure to judgment and perceived rejection.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • But defense attorney Getting never called his own fire expert to refute any of that.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 20 May 2025
  • But rather than refute Mische’s analysis, the administration has been planting suggestions that Mische is employed by Saudi Arabia, even though his advice to that nation ended years ago.
    Dan Walters, Mercury News, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • Mathis then described a scenario involving her daughter, who had developed a habit of dumping her food on the floor and throwing her plate when finished.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
  • Followers can feel like a kind of currency, built up over years: Some people don’t leave the bar, because they’re invested and don’t want to dump their shares.
    Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reject.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reject. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

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