turning down

verb

present participle of turn down
as in refusing
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to I'm afraid that I will have to turn down your invitation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of turning down Tucker entered last offseason as the consensus top free agent after turning down a qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 After all, the billionaire founder lived a whirlwind of a career, turning down lucrative job offers and weathering professional rejection before ultimately launching one of the world’s biggest biotech companies. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 20 Aug. 2026 Figuring out how to stay cool at night used to mean turning down the thermostat, pointing a fan at the bed or buying lighter sheets. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026 For McConaughey, turning down The Last of Us was less about the material and more about his own life’s circumstances. — Shelby Stivale, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026 Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys said the city has spent four years turning down redevelopment offers for Palmetto Research Park in an effort to hold the property for higher-wage employers. — John Marks, Charlotte Observer, 2 July 2026 Value your time by turning down unpaid tasks. — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026 Tips for Reducing Home Cooling Costs To further maximize your energy savings, consider these tips for cooling your home without turning down the AC. — Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2026 Recently, after years of turning down offers to expand the brand, Chiva-Som recently opened its first outpost, Zulal Wellness Retreat in Qatar, focussing on family health. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for turning down
  1. refusing
  2. rejecting
  3. declining
  4. passing up
  5. throwing over
  6. throwing out
Verb
  • Wars cannot be fought on ideology alone – a truism that perhaps led to the firebrand former defense minister’s departure, after months of clashes and refusing to deal with the army top brass, as Zelensky describes it.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Larkin, whose grassroots campaign made national headlines in recent weeks, often criticized Moskowitz for refusing to debate him or participate in joint interviews with local news organizations.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of refusing
Verb
  • The issue has split circuit courts, with the 9th Circuit (which Idaho is part of) and six other circuit courts rejecting the administration’s position.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 20 Aug. 2026
  • These critiques assume that people rejecting vaccines have access to good information about them, but that’s not always the case, Marnik said.
    — Felice J. Freyer, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of rejecting
Verb
  • The Swift Observatory has been observing the cosmos for more than two-decades, but its rapidly declining orbit has put it in jeopardy of reentering Earth's atmosphere and burning up.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In addition, authorities criticized John and Patsy for declining formal police interviews for several months.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of declining
Verb
  • The Emmys’ producers passing up on even the slightest possibility of a Werner Herzog acceptance speech is sheer lunacy.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 20 June 2026
  • The Supreme Court is staying out of a case about whether the Catholic Church misled parishioners about the purpose of an annual collection, passing up a chance to probe the independence churches have from government interference.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 26 May 2026
Definition of passing up
Verb
  • Tatis dealt with Patrick throwing over twice, and catcher Gary Sánchez snapping off a pickoff throw.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Later in the inning, though the run would have likely scored anyway, the usually strong relay combination of center fielder Andy Pages and Betts ended with Betts throwing over catcher Ben Rortvedt.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of throwing over
Verb
  • This included a fake product placement for the sauce in an episode of Bosch and one of the actors throwing out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game.
    — Peter White, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026
  • How much are fines for throwing out needles improperly in NYC?
    — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of throwing out

Browse Nearby Words

turning color
turning down
turning in
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Turning down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/turning%20down. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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