Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense rebuffs, present participle rebuffing, past tense, past participle rebuffed
verb
If you rebuff someone or rebuff a suggestion that they make, you refuse to do what they suggest.
His proposals have already been rebuffed by the Prime Minister. [beVERB-ed + by]
[Also beV-ed in n]
Synonyms: reject, decline, refuse, turn down More Synonyms of rebuff
Rebuff is also a noun.
The results of the poll dealt a humiliating rebuff to Mr Jones. [+ to]
More Synonyms of rebuff
rebuff in British English
(rɪˈbʌf)
verb(transitive)
1.
to snub, reject, or refuse (a person offering help or sympathy, an offer of help, etc) abruptly or out of hand
2.
to beat back (an attack); repel
noun
3.
a blunt refusal or rejection; snub
4.
any sudden check to progress or action
Word origin
C16: from Old French rebuffer, from Italian ribuffare, from ribuffo a reprimand, from ri-re- + buffo puff, gust, apparently of imitative origin
rebuff in American English
(rɪˈbʌf)
noun
1.
an abrupt, blunt refusal of offered advice, help, etc.
2.
any check or repulse
verb transitive
3.
to refuse bluntly; snub
4.
to check or repulse
Word origin
MFr rebuffe < It rabbuffo < rabbuffare, to disarrange, altered by metathesis (prob. infl. by buffare, to blow) < baruffare, to scuffle < Langobardic *biraufan, akin to OHG biroufan, to tussle, pluck out
Examples of 'rebuff' in a sentence
rebuff
It is claimed she rebuffed his advances.
The Sun (2015)
He claimed he constantly rebuffed her advances but it did not put her off.
The Sun (2010)
So far the offers have been rebuffed.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The board has firmly rebuffed his proposals.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But it has already been rebuffed.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The offer was rebuffed yesterday, but experts said a takeover looks all but inevitable.
The Sun (2010)
The government has so far rebuffed all calls for reform and advisers are therefore urging investors to consider ways to protect their assets.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She wrote that friends who had been rebuffed no longer called; her brothers meanwhile were too young and too preoccupied with their own affairs.
Amanda Mackenzie Stuart Consuelo & Alva: Love and Power in the Gilded Age (2005)
The offer was rebuffed and over the next 10 years the business grew to around 72 stores.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Spurs have already rebuffed twice by after bidding 6m Downing two years ago.
The Sun (2007)
Spain rebuffed an offer from Gibraltar yesterday that could have ended an increasingly bitter row over the Rock.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I rebuffed offers of prayer.
Christianity Today (2000)
All questions about who he thought ought to step into his shoes were politely, yet firmly, rebuffed.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The roads minister rebuffed calls from cycle safety campaigners yesterday to lower the default city speed limit from 30mph to 20mph.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
rebuff
British English: rebuff VERB
If you rebuff someone or rebuff a suggestion that they make, you refuse to do what they suggest.
His proposals have already been rebuffed by the governor.
American English: rebuff
Brazilian Portuguese: repelir
Chinese: 拒绝
European Spanish: rechazar
French: rejeter
German: zurückweisen
Italian: respingere
Japanese: 拒絶する
Korean: 거절하다
European Portuguese: repelir
Latin American Spanish: rechazar
(verb)
Definition
to snub and reject an offer or suggestion
After the argument he rebuffed all their invitations.
Synonyms
reject
She's downhearted about having been rejected from the project.
decline
He declined their invitation.
refuse
I could hardly refuse his invitation.
turn down
cut (informal)
She just cut me in the street.
check
Today's meeting must focus on checking the spread of violence.
deny
She denied the children access to her study.
resist
They resisted our attempts to modernize distribution.
slight
They felt slighted by not being adequately consulted.
discourage
a campaign to discourage littering
put off
snub
He snubbed her in public and made her feel an idiot.
spurn
a spurned lover
knock back (slang)
brush off (slang)
repulse
She repulsed him with undisguised venom.
cold-shoulder
Opposites
encourage
,
welcome
,
submit to
,
lead on (informal)
(noun)
Definition
a blunt refusal
The results of the poll dealt a humiliating rebuff to Mr Jones.
Synonyms
rejection
These feelings of rejection and hurt remain.
defeat
snub
knock-back
check
opposition
slight
a child weeping over an imagined slight
refusal
a refusal of planning permission
denial
the denial of visas to international workers
brush-off (slang)
repulse
If he meets with a repulse he will not be cast down.
thumbs down
Brokers have given the firm the thumbs down.
cold shoulder
slap in the face (informal)
kick in the teeth (slang)
discouragement
the (old) heave-ho (informal)
Opposites
welcome
,
come-on (informal)
,
encouragement
,
thumbs up
Additional synonyms
in the sense of check
Definition
to slow the growth or progress of
Today's meeting must focus on checking the spread of violence.
Synonyms
stop,
control,
limit,
arrest,
delay,
halt,
curb,
bar,
restrain,
inhibit,
rein,
thwart,
hinder,
repress,
obstruct,
retard,
impede,
bridle,
stem the flow of,
nip in the bud,
put a spoke in someone's wheel
in the sense of cut
Definition
to pretend not to recognize
She just cut me in the street.
Synonyms
ignore,
avoid,
slight,
blank (slang),
snub,
spurn,
freeze (someone) out (informal),
cold-shoulder,
turn your back on,
send to Coventry,
look straight through (someone)
in the sense of decline
Definition
to politely refuse to accept or do (something)
He declined their invitation.
Synonyms
refuse,
reject,
turn down,
avoid,
deny,
spurn,
abstain,
forgo,
send your regrets,
say `no'
Nearby words of
rebuff
rebellious
rebirth
rebound
rebuff
rebuild
rebuke
rebut
Synonyms of 'rebuff'
rebuff
Explore 'rebuff' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of denial
Definition
a rejection of a request
the denial of visas to international workers
Synonyms
refusal,
veto,
rejection,
prohibition,
rebuff,
repulse
in the sense of deny
Definition
to refuse to give or allow
She denied the children access to her study.
Synonyms
refuse,
decline,
forbid,
reject,
rule out,
veto,
turn down,
prohibit,
withhold,
preclude,
disallow,
negate,
begrudge,
interdict
in the sense of discourage
Definition
to oppose by expressing disapproval
a campaign to discourage littering
Synonyms
put off,
deter,
prevent,
dissuade,
talk out of,
discountenance
in the sense of refusal
Definition
the act of refusing
a refusal of planning permission
Synonyms
rejection,
denial,
defiance,
rebuff,
knock-back (slang),
thumbs down,
repudiation,
kick in the teeth (slang),
negation,
no
in the sense of refuse
Definition
to decline to accept (something offered)
I could hardly refuse his invitation.
Synonyms
decline,
reject,
turn down,
scorn,
spurn,
say no to,
repudiate
in the sense of repulse
Definition
to reject with coldness or discourtesy
She repulsed him with undisguised venom.
Synonyms
reject,
refuse,
turn down,
snub,
disregard,
disdain,
spurn,
rebuff,
give the cold shoulder to
in the sense of repulse
Definition
a cold discourteous rejection or refusal
If he meets with a repulse he will not be cast down.
Synonyms
rejection,
refusal,
snub,
spurning,
rebuff,
knock-back (slang),
cold shoulder,
kick in the teeth (slang),
the (old) heave-ho (informal)
in the sense of resist
Definition
to stand firm against or oppose
They resisted our attempts to modernize distribution.
Synonyms
oppose,
fight,
battle against,
refuse,
check,
weather,
dispute,
confront,
combat,
defy,
curb,
thwart,
stand up to,
hinder,
contend with,
counteract,
hold out against,
put up a fight (against),
countervail
in the sense of slight
Definition
to insult (someone) by behaving rudely
They felt slighted by not being adequately consulted.
Synonyms
snub,
insult,
ignore,
rebuff,
affront,
neglect,
put down,
despise,
scorn,
disdain,
disparage,
cold-shoulder,
treat with contempt,
show disrespect for,
give offence or umbrage to
in the sense of slight
Definition
an act of snubbing (someone)
a child weeping over an imagined slight
Synonyms
insult,
snub,
affront,
contempt,
disregard,
indifference,
disdain,
rebuff,
disrespect,
slap in the face (informal),
inattention,
discourtesy,
(the) cold shoulder
Additional synonyms
in the sense of snub
Definition
to insult (someone) deliberately
He snubbed her in public and made her feel an idiot.