What does rebuff mean?
Word: Rebuff
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Rebuff means to refuse an offer, request or friendly approach in an unkind or sharp way. As a noun, a rebuff is a refusal of this kind.
Synonyms: reject, snub, spurn, refuse
Antonyms: accept, welcome
Word origin: From French rebuffer, from an old Italian verb ribuffare, 'to reprimand', made from ri-, 'back', and buffo, 'a puff', a word that copies the sound of puffing.
How do you spell rebuff?
Syllables: re - buff
Tricky part: It ends in a double f, like cuff and stuff. A single f at the end is the usual error.
Watch out for: rebuf, rebuffe
Memory tip: Picture the ff as two doors slamming shut: a rebuff closes the door on an offer, twice over.
Rebuff in a sentence
Example 1: The shopkeeper rebuffed every offer below his price.
Example 2: Chloe's offer to help was met with a curt rebuff, so she went back to her own work.
Example 3: The minister rebuffed the reporters' questions and walked straight to her car.
Fun Fact
Buffoon, a word for someone who clowns about to make people laugh, is thought to come from the same Italian puffing sound: buffare meant 'to puff out the cheeks'.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the misspelt word:
a) rebbuff
b) rebuke
c) rebound
d) refund
Show answer
a) rebbuff. Rebuff has one b after re-, just as rebuke does.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its opposite:
1. rebuff 2. hasty 3. frugal a. wasteful b. embrace c. unhurried
a) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Show answer
d) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. You embrace an offer instead of rebuffing it, an unhurried worker is never hasty, and a frugal family is not wasteful.
Sound Check
Which word does not rhyme with 'rebuff'?
a) snuff
b) though
c) rough
d) enough
Show answer
b) though. Though looks like tough but ends in an 'oh' sound; enough, rough and snuff all finish with the 'uff' of rebuff.
Word Champ
In which option are the given words arranged in alphabetical order?
1. rebuke 2. rebuff 3. rebuild 4. rebound
a) 4213
b) 4321
c) 4231
d) 2431
Show answer
c) 4231. Rebound comes first because o comes before u; then rebuff, rebuild and rebuke follow, since f, i and k run in that order.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which reply is a rebuff?
a) Thank you, that would be lovely.
b) Go away, I do not need your help.
c) I will gladly take your advice.
d) Could you help me a little later?
Show answer
b) Go away, I do not need your help.
2. If a company rebuffs a takeover offer, it ___ the offer.
a) copies
b) forgets
c) welcomes
d) turns down
Show answer
d) turns down
