Word
refusal
Phoneticsre·fusal
US/ɹəfˈjuzəɫ/
UK/ɹɪfjˈuːsəl/
Definitions
01saying no
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the act of saying no to an offer, a request, or an invitation.
n. the act of declining or rejecting something offered, requested, or required.
“Her refusal to help with the project made the rest of the team very angry.”
“The diplomat's flat refusal of the proposed terms led to an immediate breakdown in the peace negotiations.”
Usage
Often followed by 'of' plus a noun or 'to' plus an infinitive verb.
Pitfall
His refusal for the job surprised us.
His refusal of the job surprised us.
Use 'of' or 'to' after refusal. You refuse 'of' an offer or give a refusal 'to' a request.
Antonyms
02drilling limit
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Science Technical
n. the point where a drill cannot go any deeper into the ground.
n. the depth or specific point at which a borehole or well cannot be advanced further due to hard rock or technical limits.
“The drill hit refusal at fifty meters because of the solid granite layer.”
“The engineering report noted that the piling reached refusal much earlier than anticipated, suggesting a shallow bedrock profile.”
Usage
Primarily used in geological engineering and oil industries.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “refusal” in context.
Verb
01. encounter a flat refusal
“The diplomat's request for a meeting encountered a flat refusal from the ministry.”
verb + adj + noun
02. interpret the refusal as a snub
“She interpreted his refusal as a snub, though he was simply too busy to attend.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
03. adamant refusal
“Despite the pressure from his peers, his adamant refusal to participate remained unchanged.”
adj + noun
04. point-blank refusal
“The manager's point-blank refusal to discuss a pay rise left the staff feeling undervalued.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. grounds for refusal
“The lack of a valid permit provided the council with sufficient grounds for refusal.”
noun + prep + noun
06. refusal to cooperate
“The suspect's persistent refusal to cooperate hindered the police investigation.”
noun + infinitive
Preposition
07. in refusal of the offer
“He shook his head in refusal of the offer, preferring to remain independent.”
prep + noun + prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“But of those, 27.5% were refused – a refusal rate three times higher than in any other member state, and far higher than the EU average of 3%-4%.” “Hungerford says that child poverty is a key driver of vaccine refusal; parents who have to worry about bills often don't have the brain space to think about immunisations, he says.” Etymology
From Middle English refusell; equivalent to refuse + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/refusal