Definition of refusal in English:

noun

• 1An act or an instance of refusing; the state of being refused.

  ‘he became tired of his friend's refusal to see him’

  More example sentences

  • ‘In the past, refusal to serve in the military could carry prison sentences of up to five years.’
  • ‘One of the weaknesses of the mass storage industry is a stubborn refusal to learn from history.’
  • ‘The dispute is over the government's continued refusal to fulfill campaign promises to raise teachers' wages.’
  • ‘What was impressive about her - moving even - was her steadfast refusal to do so.’
  • ‘Lex, see what you miss with your stubborn refusal to own a T.V.?’
  • ‘We need to take seriously their steadfast refusal to admit even their most obvious mistakes.’
  • ‘I admire his steadfast refusal to be anyone other than himself.’
  • ‘The announcement follows recent refusals by two judges to take early retirement despite pressure from the government.’
  • ‘Her conversation betrays disappointment, anger, and an outright refusal to be labeled a victim.’
  • ‘One explanation can be found in an adamant refusal to relinquish ceremonial practices.’
  • ‘Today, we see the consequences of the Bush administration's refusal to learn from the past.’
  • ‘Due to professional autonomy, no one can challenge their refusal to abandon this entirely discredited methodology.’
  • ‘The strike is over management's refusal to solve a long-running land dispute.’
  • ‘The executive's refusal to accept the committee's decision has caused outrage among Labour backbenchers.’
  • ‘That's the best weapon we have against these evil people, our flat refusal to allow them to divert us more than momentarily from our daily lives.’
  • ‘Kerr's refusal to accept their recommendation was met with widespread approval by the Scottish business community.’
  • ‘The group came forward at the end of last week following news of the players' refusal to accept a 30 per cent wage deferral.’
  • ‘Most worrying is the right-leaning media's continual hedging and refusal to accept basic facts.’
  • ‘Khan said the Pakistani Government's refusal to grant his wife a visa has traumatised the entire family.’

  Synonyms

  withholding, failure to grant, denial, veto, turndown

  View synonyms

  1. 1.1
     see first refusal