rebuff 1 of 2

noun

Definition of rebuffnext
as in dismissal
treatment that is deliberately unfriendly took her rebuff in stride, and still greeted her cousin with a friendly smile the next time they met

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rebuff

2 of 2

verb

as in to spurn

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Dissimilar Words

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 rebuff
Noun
The latest rebuff of state overreach was the dismissal last week of the highly questionable felony case against respected Waukegan City Clerk Janet Kilkelly brought by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026 Braced by that humiliating rebuff, the Service wasted no time in getting serious and rallying around reform. — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Despite initially being rebuffed by the designer, the pair connected and unknowingly sparked what would be a 41-year friendship. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 2 June 2026 Tess, who's on the bus rebuffing yet another apology from Orson, spots Jamison walking by. — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rebuff
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebuff
  1. dismissal
  2. spurn
  3. snub
  4. scorn
  5. repulse
  6. disdain
  7. rejection
  8. reject
Noun
  • His lawyers, making the motion for dismissal, argued that Kuznietsov was still an active duty soldier and as such was obligated by Ukrainian law not to speak for reasons of secrecy linked to national security.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Even if Chili’s dismissal is unrelated, an ex-employee is a good place to start.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of dismissal
Verb
  • Kumari plays Sahibjaan, born in a graveyard to a courtesan who was spurned by her husband’s aristocratic family.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • And Newsom typically spurns laws that make changes to the state budget after those fiscal discussions conclude in the first half of the calendar year.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of spurn
Noun
  • The great Monaco Grand Prix snub of Martin Brundle by Kim Kardashian has finally been put to rest.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • His snub in Greece sent him down a different path, which has led him to an unlikely opportunity in the NBA.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of snub
Verb
  • There’s relief in his escape but the path has left him feeling scorned, too.
    — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The investors among this small and scorned generation, now aged 45-61, are watching markets play out on their screens and constantly see the plot parallels with past cycles.
    — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of scorn
Noun
  • Larger than life, his creation repulses and torments him, and Victor spends the rest of his life both running from it and trying to destroy it.
    — Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • The optical, stop-motion, and puppetry effects alone should make Brain Damage a priority on your watchlist, but Henenlotter’s film excites and repulses on a deeper level.
    — Rory Doherty, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
Definition of repulse
Verb
  • As of Sunday, Morin was one month into the suspension handed down by the state Supreme Court that disdained the opinion of professional discipline case referee, Judge Paul Anthony Damico.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Scrutiny of Flock and other surveillance providers was largely bipartisan at the hearing, as did disdain for the company leaders not appearing.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of disdain
Noun
  • When a property manager rejected a recommended rent, the adviser reviewed the rejection and the justification.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
  • If judgment is causing premature rejection of an employee’s approach, the manager can ask what evidence actually supports that judgment.
    — Thomas Lim, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of rejection
Verb
  • Quebec voters have twice rejected independence, most recently by a razor-thin margin in a 1995 referendum.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
  • For countries that rejected the open international order, as the axis countries do today, the benefits were far fewer and the penalties considerable.
    — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of reject

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Cite this Entry

“Rebuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebuff. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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