reject
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to refuse to accept, use, or believe something.
v.to refuse to accept, acknowledge, or use something; often used in formal or academic contexts regarding theories or applications.
Simple“The committee decided to reject the proposal because it was too expensive.”
In context“The journal editors chose to reject the manuscript on the grounds that the methodology did not meet their rigorous peer-review standards.”
UsageTransitive verb taking a direct object.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to refuse a person's romantic interest or a job applicant.
v.to rebuff a person's advances or to deny an applicant a position or place.
Simple“It can be very painful when someone you like rejects you.”
In context“After three rounds of intensive interviews, the firm ultimately decided to reject his application in favour of a more experienced candidate.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to block an opponent's shot in a game like basketball.
v.to block an opponent's shot, typically sending the ball away from the basket or off the court.
Simple“The tall defender managed to reject the shot just before it reached the hoop.”
In context“The centre leaped high to reject the layup, sending the ball deep into the third row of the stands.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a product that is not good enough to be sold.
n.an item that has been discarded or set aside because it does not meet quality standards.
Simple“The factory sells its rejects at a much lower price in the outlet store.”
In context“Quality control identified several rejects in the latest batch due to minor surface imperfections in the plastic casing.”
Synonymsdiscardfaulty good - 05 C1 Advanced
n.a person who is not accepted by a social group.
n.a person who is excluded from a social group or society; often used as a derogatory label.
Simple“In many teen movies, the main characters start out as social rejects.”
In context“He spent his high school years feeling like a total reject before finding a community of like-minded artists in college.”
Teacher's tipThis can be offensive or hurtful; learners should use it with caution when referring to people.
- 06 C2 Proficiency
n.the act of stopping a plane from taking off after it has already started moving.
n.the discontinuation of a takeoff roll by the flight crew due to a perceived safety issue.
Simple“The pilot performed a high-speed reject after a warning light appeared on the dashboard.”
In context“The captain initiated a reject at eighty knots following a sudden loss of pressure in the number two engine.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'rejected takeoff' or as a noun in technical reports.
Synonymsaborted takeoff
Usage rejected the idea · reject new · reject hypothesis
From Late Middle English rejecten, from Latin reiectus, past participle of reicere (“to throw back”), from re- (“back”) + iacere (“to throw”). Displaced native Old English āweorpan (literally “to throw out”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.