From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englisha flat refusal/denial etca flat refusal/denial etcCERTAINLY/DEFINITELYa refusal etc that is definite and which someone will not change Our requests were met with a flat refusal. → flat
Examples from the Corpus
a flat refusal/denial etc• In many cases where a request has been made, it has met with a flat refusal.• She had not anticipated a flat refusal.• There'd been a chorus of objection then and a flat refusal from Becky to stay with the younger children.• One or other of them drafted a statement which was a flat denial that he had misbehaved either sexually or politically. 