reject
gb/ɹˈid͡ʒɛkt/ us/ɹˈid͡ʒɛkt/
A2
English
~ 1600
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
refuse to accept
To say no to something that is offered or suggested.
Usage pattern:
to reject [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'reject' with 'refuse'; 'reject' is often used for things or proposals, while 'refuse' is more for actions or requests.
Synonyms
decline (Slightly more formal and polite than 'reject'.)
Antonyms
accept (To agree to take or approve something offered.)
Collocations
reject an offer
|reject a proposal
|reject a request
|reject an application
|reject outright
Themes
daily life
|business
|emotions
|daily_life
|communication
Examples
- The company decided to reject the merger proposal.
- She rejected his invitation to the party.
- The committee rejected the plan due to high costs.
- I had to reject their offer because it wasn’t suitable.
- They rejected the application after reviewing the documents.
Learner examples
- I rejected the job offer.
- He rejected the food.
- We rejected the idea.
- She rejected the gift.
- They rejected my help.
Verb
B1
action
2
refuse someone for a role
To say someone cannot have a job or be part of a group.
Usage pattern:
to reject [someone] for [a role]
Synonyms
turn down (Common in informal speech; softer in tone than 'reject'.)
Antonyms
hire (To give someone a job after considering them.)
Collocations
reject a candidate
|reject an applicant
|reject a student
|reject a member
Themes
work
|education
|business
Examples
- The university rejected 200 applicants this year.
- They rejected him for the position of manager.
- The club rejected several new members.
- The committee rejected her for the scholarship.
- We had to reject many candidates due to lack of experience.
Learner examples
- The school rejected me.
- They rejected him for the job.
- We rejected the player from the team.
- The company rejected her.
- The club rejected Tom.
Verb
B1
action
3
refuse to believe or accept idea
To say that an idea or belief is not true or right.
Usage pattern:
to reject [an idea/belief/theory]
Synonyms
dismiss (Often suggests quick or casual refusal without serious consideration.)
Antonyms
accept (To agree that an idea or belief is valid or true.)
Collocations
reject an argument
|reject a claim
|reject a theory
|reject an opinion
Themes
thinking
|politics
|communication
|education
Examples
- Scientists rejected the theory after new evidence appeared.
- She rejected the idea that money brings happiness.
- The court rejected his claim of innocence.
- Many voters rejected the party's policies.
- They rejected the notion as outdated.
Learner examples
- I reject this idea.
- He rejects that story.
- We reject the claim.
- They reject the theory.
- She rejects his opinion.
Noun
B2
entity
4
defective item discarded
A thing made in a factory that is not good enough to sell normally.
Synonyms
defective product (More technical and specific than 'reject'.)
Antonyms
approved product (An item that passes quality checks.)
Collocations
factory rejects
|seconds and rejects
Themes
manufacturing
|business
|work
Examples
- These shoes are factory rejects sold at half price.
- The batch contained too many rejects to ship.
- They sell rejects in a discount store.
- Inspectors found several rejects during quality control.
- We must separate the rejects from the good items.
Learner examples
- These are factory rejects.
- The box has many rejects.
- We found some rejects in the shop.
- Rejects are cheaper than normal goods.
- This shirt is a reject.
Noun
B2
entity
5
person not accepted socially
A person who is not accepted by others in a group or society.
Synonyms
outcast ('Outcast' often has stronger emotional impact and more permanent exclusion.)
Antonyms
insider (A person who belongs to and is accepted by a group.)
Collocations
social reject
Themes
emotions
|society
|relationships
Examples
- He felt like a reject at school because he had no friends.
- They treated her like a social reject after the scandal.
- The club made him feel like a reject.
- She was considered a reject by her peers.
- He was tired of being a reject in his own family.
Learner examples
- He is a reject at school.
- She is a social reject.
- I feel like a reject here.
- They think I am a reject.
- Tom is not liked; he is a reject.
Grammar
Dictionary form
reject
IPA
GB/ɹˈid͡ʒɛkt/
US/ɹˈid͡ʒɛkt/
Syllables & stress
re - ject (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (re)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: reject
- Plural: rejects
Verb
- Base: reject
- 3rd Person Singular: rejects
- Present Participle: rejecting
- Past: rejected
Word family
Forms
rejects
noun
rejecting
verb
rejected
verb
Core family
rejection
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
accept
verb A2
acceptance
noun B1
Expressions
be rejected for
1/bˈi ɹɪd͡ʒˈɛktɪd fɚ/
fixed phrase
not be chosen for something
To be told you cannot have something, like a job or place at school, after they think about it.
Examples
- He was rejected for the scholarship due to his low grades.
- She was rejected for the role after the audition.
reject out of hand
1/ɹɪd͡ʒˈɛkt ˈaʊt əv hˈænd/
fixed phrase
refuse immediately without considering
To say no to something right away without thinking about it first.
Examples
- They rejected the proposal out of hand without listening to details.
- She rejected his excuse out of hand.