From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrefusalre‧fus‧al /rɪˈfjuːzəl/ ●●○ noun [countable, uncountable] REFUSEwhen you say firmly that you will not do, give, or accept somethingrefusal to do something His refusal to pay the fine got him into even more trouble.flat/blunt/point-blank refusal (=an immediate direct refusal) His request was met with a blunt refusal.refusal of They couldn’t understand her refusal of a scholarship to Yale.COLLOCATIONSadjectivesa stubborn/obstinate refusal (=a refusal even when others think this is unreasonable)Her stubborn refusal to admit the truth was trying his patience.a flat/outright refusal (=definite and direct)She had not anticipated a flat refusal.a point-blank refusal (=immediate, direct, and without a reason)This point-blank refusal to discuss the issue enraged him.a blunt refusal (=honest and direct but likely to upset someone)A blunt refusal to help will simply damage relations further.a polite refusalMy request was met with a polite refusal.
Examples from the Corpus
refusal• Refusal to do military service was a criminal offence.• It is a restlessness, a refusal to longterm relationships, that has typified both his public and private life.• There was an association between refusal and having a younger sibling.• His request for a bigger room met with a blunt refusal.• There'd been a chorus of objection then and a flat refusal from Becky to stay with the younger children.• He was upset by her refusal.• She must understand the consequences of her refusal to accept medical treatment.• Kelly Johnson was a curmudgeon, but he was revered at the Skunk Works for his refusal to compromise about airplanes.• The great imperial Zanuck was not amused at Boyo Burton's refusal and tried to force his hand.• His argument seemed to be based fearlessly on the refusal to recognise what is already public knowledge about our plans.refusal to do something• Certainly we need to fear a refusal to change our ways.• Some people's sensation of disbelief extends into a refusal to think about their illness at all.• Remember that it is not only a refusal to perform your normal duties which can amount to gross misconduct.• A refusal to cede two weeks of winter to the dark forces of routine.• Also prohibited is any refusal to engage meaningfully with the opponent.• His refusal to forswear moonshine, however, mocked her with the most painful failure of all.• Britain was not entirely alone in its refusal to become involved in the Schuman plan.• Mitterrand and Lecanuet portrayed the General's refusal to campaign as contempt for the democratic process.• Samuelson's refusal to take a drug test cost him his job.From Longman Business Dictionaryrefusalre‧fus‧al /rɪˈfjuːzəl/ noun give/offer someone first refusal to let someone be the first to decide whether they want to buy something you are selling before you offer it to other peopleIf you ever sell the business I’d like to be offered first refusal. 