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Many English verbs begin with the prefix re-, meaning “again” or “backward,” so we wouldn’t criticize you for drawing a connection between rebuff and buff, a verb meaning “to polish or shine.” But rebuff would beg to differ: this word comes to us from the Middle French verb rebuffer, which traces back to the Old Italian ribuffare, meaning “to reprimand.” (Buff, in contrast, comes from the Middle French noun buffle, meaning “wild ox”). A similar word, rebuke, shares the “criticize” sense of rebuff, but not the “reject” sense; one can rebuke another’s actions or policies, but one does not rebuke the advances of another, for example. Like rebuke, rebuff can also be used as a noun, as in “The proposal was met with a stern rebuff from the Board of Trustees.”
Examples of rebuff in a Sentence
Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2025
Trump advisor Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, has claimed that during the Biden administration SpaceX offered to get the astronauts earlier than the time frame that became NASA’s plan — but was rebuffed for political reasons ahead of the election.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2025
Hamas rebuffed the new proposal, and Israel blocked all aid from entering the Gaza Strip in an effort to force Hamas to agree.
—James Hider, NPR, 17 Mar. 2025
City officials rebuffed that request, expressing confusion and frustration, particularly in light of recent financial struggles that have caused the city to cut back on services.
—Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rebuff
Cite this Entry
“Rebuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebuff. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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