demurral

[ dih-mur-uhl ]

noun

1. an act or instance of demurring; a demur.

Word History and Origins

Origin of demurral¹

First recorded in 1800–10; demur + -al ²

Example Sentences

After years of demurrals, Meadow Ridge, a for-profit care community in Redding where Auslander lives, recently announced plans to erect solar panels over two parking lots and the roof of one building in the complex.

From Seattle Times

Then again, given the absurdly lax nature of the ethical rules for the Court, I'm more than ready to believe there was enough wriggle room to make Alito's demurrals plausible if not persuasive.

From Salon

Bobby tried a psychological tactic himself during that game, despite his oft-quoted demurral, “I don’t believe in psychology—I believe in good moves.”

From Literature

In fact, it was the third time Mr. Biden has said so, making the nothing-to-see-here White House demurrals that much harder to sell.

From New York Times

Then, in the last part of her demurral, amounting to slightly more than half of her brief statement, she teased a potential new project.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ambiguity
• apprehension
• confusion
• difficulty
• disbelief
• distrust
• fear
• hesitation
• misgiving
• mistrust
• problem
• qualm
• reluctance
• skepticism
• suspense
• suspicion
• uncertainty