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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
Dallas Morning News, Twin Cities, 1 May 2026
Weeks before reports that United was considering a deal with American (which rebuffed the idea) Kirby paid a visit to the White House and pitched the merits of the airline merger to Trump himself — an idea the president was said to be receptive to, according to a person briefed on the meeting.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 28 Apr. 2026
In 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul tried, but Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of the legislature rebuffed her.
—Marc Novicoff, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
After rebuffing numerous overtures from other teams seeking general managers, DeCosta finally took over after the 2018 season.
—Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rebuff
Cite this Entry
“Rebuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rebuff. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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