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Synonyms

rejection

American  
[ri-jek-shuhn] / rɪˈdʒɛk ʃən /

noun

  1. the act or process of rejecting.

    Synonyms:
    elimination, dismissal, refusal
  2. the state of being rejected.

    Synonyms:
    elimination, dismissal, refusal
  3. something that is rejected.


rejection Cultural  
  1. A process in which the immune system of a body attacks an organ or tissue, either its own or tissue transplanted into it from another organism. (See xenotransplantation.)


Discover More

Rejection is the most serious problem faced in surgery involving organ transplants. Drugs are used to suppress the immune system after organ transplant in order to prevent the rejection of and eventual death of the transplanted tissue.

Other Word Forms

  • nonrejection noun
  • prerejection noun

Etymology

Origin of rejection

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin rējectiōn-, stem of rējectiō “a throwing back”; equivalent to reject + -ion

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.

“My first two films didn’t get into Sundance, and then my third one did. I’m always telling young filmmakers to use the Sundance rejection as fuel.”

From Los Angeles Times

Rather than showing a lack of interest, this points to hesitation driven by fear of misinterpretation, rejection or cultural judgment.

From The Wall Street Journal

After checking weather reports for the day he was due to fly, he disputed BA's rejection.

From BBC

His rejection of England’s imperial mythology is Romantic in its passion for philology and topology.

From The Wall Street Journal

One objection in the White House, according to a person who works on pardons, may have been Ver’s flamboyant rejection of his American citizenship.

From Salon