reject
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to refuse to have, take, recognize, etc..
to reject the offer of a better job.
- Synonyms:
- deny
-
to refuse to grant (a request, demand, etc.).
- Synonyms:
- deny
-
to refuse to accept (someone or something); rebuff.
The other children rejected him. The publisher rejected the author's latest novel.
-
to discard as useless or unsatisfactory.
The mind rejects painful memories.
-
to cast out or eject; vomit.
-
to cast out or off.
-
Medicine/Medical. (of a human or other animal) to have an immunological reaction against (a transplanted organ or grafted tissue).
If tissue types are not matched properly, a patient undergoing a transplant will reject the graft.
noun
verb
-
to refuse to accept, acknowledge, use, believe, etc
-
to throw out as useless or worthless; discard
-
to rebuff (a person)
-
(of an organism) to fail to accept (a foreign tissue graft or organ transplant) because of immunological incompatibility
noun
Synonym Usage
See refuse 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
rejecternoun
-
rejectionnoun
-
quasi-rejectedadjective
-
rejectableadjective
-
rejectiveadjective
-
unrejectableadjective
-
unrejectedadjective
-
unrejectiveadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
rejectsimple
-
rejectssimple
-
have rejectedperfect
-
has rejectedperfect
-
am rejectingprogressive
-
are rejectingprogressive
-
is rejectingprogressive
-
have been rejectingperfect progressive
-
has been rejectingperfect progressive
Past
-
rejectedsimple
-
had rejectedperfect
-
was rejectingprogressive
-
were rejectingprogressive
-
had been rejectingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of reject
First recorded in 1485–95; (verb) from Latin rējectus, past participle of rējicere “to throw back,” equivalent to re- re- + jec-, combining form of jacere “to throw” + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
When you reject something, you rule it out or dismiss it. If you're trying to pick a fancy restaurant to go to for your birthday, you'll probably reject the diner you went to just yesterday. The verb reject has several shades of meaning. Reject can mean to refuse to accept or agree with something. If you don't believe space aliens are living on earth, you reject the idea — you just don't believe it. Reject can also mean to treat someone with contempt: "My former best friend rejected me to hang out with a different crowd — but I found new friends with whom I had more in common."
Vocabulary lists containing reject
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!
Essential English Vocabulary, List 3
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!
Schooled
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.
"I urge you to reject the evidence of him as wholly incredible and unreliable," he said.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
From this there carries a limited space for courts to reject grotesque or unconstitutional plea bargain terms.
From Slate • Jun. 18, 2026
Those of us who continue to believe in the American experiment must reject these critiques.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 16, 2026
UniCredit, which said it had also appealed to BaFin, said Monday that it "continues to firmly reject the claims and insinuations concerning its disclosures and offer process".
From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026
If I skip brushing my hair and finding anything to eat—not difficult, as my stomach feels as though it would reject food anyway—I might be only a few minutes late to work.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Definitions 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.
