rebuff
Americannoun
-
rebuffs
plural
-
a blunt or abrupt rejection, as of a person making advances.
-
a peremptory refusal of a request, offer, etc.; snub.
-
a check to action or progress.
verb (used with object)
-
rebuffs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
rebuffed,
past participle, past
-
rebuffing
present participle
verb
-
to snub, reject, or refuse (a person offering help or sympathy, an offer of help, etc) abruptly or out of hand
-
to beat back (an attack); repel
noun
-
a blunt refusal or rejection; snub
-
any sudden check to progress or action
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
rebuffsimple
-
rebuffssimple
-
have rebuffedperfect
-
has rebuffedperfect
-
am rebuffingprogressive
-
are rebuffingprogressive
-
is rebuffingprogressive
-
have been rebuffingperfect progressive
-
has been rebuffingperfect progressive
Past
-
rebuffedsimple
-
had rebuffedperfect
-
was rebuffingprogressive
-
were rebuffingprogressive
-
had been rebuffingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rebuff
1580–90; < Middle French rebuffer < Italian ribuffare to disturb, reprimand, derivative of ribuffo (noun), equivalent to ri- re- + buffo puff; see buffoon
Explanation
If you rebuff someone, you reject or snub him. You might decide to rebuff a classmate's invitation to the dance after hearing him gossip meanly about a friend. Although the verb rebuff is a somewhat old fashioned one to use for social relationships, it's still common in the world of diplomacy. One country's rebuff of another might start a war, or end peace talks, or otherwise reverberate through the world of international relations. You can also use rebuff as a noun — deliberately ignoring your sister's text message is one example of a rebuff. The Italian root word, ribuffo, combines ri, expressing opposition, and buffo, "a puff."
Vocabulary lists containing rebuff
Dissed List: Breakup Words for Valentine's Day
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Raisin in the Sun
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: December 30, 2017 - January 5, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
To eliminate a state agency, Hilton would need legislative approval, although he says that if Sacramento lawmakers were to rebuff his efforts, he could use the budget to slash the DMV’s operations.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Taiwan rolled out the red carpet for Paraguay President Santiago Pena on Friday, as the democratic island shores up ties with its only South American ally in a rebuff to China's diplomatic pressure.
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
The board’s decision to rebuff Paramount is the latest development in the fight for the future of Warner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
The Miss Universe Organisation on Tuesday put out a statement to rebuff Mr Harfouch's claims, saying that "no external group has been authorised to evaluate delegates or select finalists".
From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2025
It was a day of giving the gracious smile and receiving the gracious rebuff as I asked again and again about jobs.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
New Palace manager Pierre Sage will hope the club rebuffs any potential suitors.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Even though Davis is repeatedly asked who will take over from Rufus, she rebuffs the question.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
At the beginning of the film, Mr. Banks rebuffs his children when they ask him to repair their kite.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
Through Jessica, “Too Much” rebuffs the trope Dunham helped create.
From Salon ● Jul. 10, 2025
I met no rebuffs, only gentleness when they informed me they could not use my services as typist, bookkeeper, etc.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
On the Avio earnings call, Ranzo said that customers rebuffed by SpaceX used the recent International Space Summit in Paris to lobby European officials to encourage them to buy locally.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 20, 2026
To date, Mexican officials have rebuffed a Justice Department request that Rocha Moya, 77, be detained pending his extradition to the United States.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Administration officials have so far rebuffed Ford’s pleas on the issue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Washington has rebuffed any talk of a deal being reached.
From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026
The court rebuffed the prosecution and the gallery murmured its approval.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
After rebuffing Pfizer’s $120 billion takeover bid in 2014, he steadily transformed AstraZeneca into one of the drug industry’s top growth stories.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
American Airlines late Friday took the unusual step of rebuffing a merger before it was even made.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 20, 2026
Coventry also kept their best players, rebuffing Sheffield United's bids for Bobby Thomas while Milan van Ewijk stayed despite Wolfsburg interest.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2026
His way of impatiently rebuffing Salome’s inappropriate advances is to give her singing lessons.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2026
He was angry with Desdemona for rebuffing him and he was angry at himself for being angry at her, because he knew she was right.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
