reject
reject Lexical Profile
reject Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To dismiss or refuse to accept, believe, or agree to a proposal, idea, or request.
"The committee decided to reject the initial budget proposal."
To cast aside or discard something as defective, inadequate, or unusable.
"Inspectors reject any fruit that shows signs of bruising."
To fail to show due affection, care, or acceptance toward a person.
"She worried that her traditional family might reject her after she changed careers."
To have an adverse immune reaction to transplanted organ or tissue (of a body or organism).
"Patients take immunosuppressive medication so their bodies do not reject the transplanted kidney."
• noun
A manufactured item or product that has been set aside or discarded because it fails to meet quality standards.
"The factory outlet sells slight rejects at a steep discount."
A person who has been refused acceptance into a group, organization, or society.
"He felt like a social reject during his first year at the new school."
Word Nuance & Usage
Like many two-syllable noun-verb pairs in English, the pronunciation shifts with part of speech: the verb is stressed on the second syllable (ri-JEKT), whereas the noun is stressed on the first syllable (REE-jekt).
• Rhymes for reject
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 15th century from Latin 'rejectus', the past participle of 'reicere' ('to throw back'), formed from 're-' ('back') and 'jacere' ('to throw').