rejection

American  

[ri-jek-shuhn] / rɪˈdʒɛk ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of rejecting.

   Synonyms:

   elimination, dismissal, refusal

2. the state of being rejected.

   Synonyms:

   elimination, dismissal, refusal

3. something that is rejected.

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rejection Cultural  

1. A process in which the immune system of a body attacks an organ or tissue, either its own or tissue transplanted into it from another organism. (See xenotransplantation.)

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Discover More

Rejection is the most serious problem faced in surgery involving organ transplants. Drugs are used to suppress the immune system after organ transplant in order to prevent the rejection of and eventual death of the transplanted tissue.

Other Word Forms

• nonrejection noun
• prerejection noun

Etymology

Origin of rejection

First recorded in 1545–55; from Latin rējectiōn-, stem of rējectiō “a throwing back”; equivalent to reject + -ion

Example Sentences

Reasons given for its rejection included that being a replication it was not novel; that after a couple of years the field has moved on.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

"There are moments where I applied and I got a rejection less than two minutes later, which is really horrible," says the 20-year-old.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Sydnexis is appealing the FDA rejection through the agency’s administrative process with the hope that agency leaders will take a less shortsighted view.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

A rejection would allow the family to file the case in court as a formal lawsuit.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

While Stanton accepted her husband’s right to his own opinion, his lack of support felt like a personal rejection.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Related Words

• elimination
• exclusion
• repudiation
• veto