first refusal

fɜːrst rɪˈfjuːzəl

Definition

Definition of first refusal - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

priorityopportunity to accept or decline before others

He was given first refusal of the tickets.

preference

commerce

TECH.

right to buy before others in a contract

TECH.

She had the first refusal on the property.

preemptive right

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with first refusal

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.

right of first refusal

contractual right to enter a business transaction before others

The company secured the right of first refusal for the new product line.

Expressions with first

put first

arrange something at the beginning of a sequence

He put the most important task first on his list.

blink first

give in or show weakness before the other side

He didn't want to blink first during the tense meeting.

first light

time when light first appears in the morning

We set out on our hike at first light.

first off

adv.

introduce the first point or start the first action before others

First off, we need to discuss the budget before proceeding.

at first sight

adv.

immediately upon seeing something or someone

She fell in love at first sight.

first things first

exp.

address important tasks before others

First things first, finish your homework before playing.

Expressions with refusal

flat refusal

absolute rejection without any hesitation

Her flat refusal to attend surprised everyone.

point-blank refusal

outright and firm denial

She gave a point-blank refusal to the offer.

refusal to comply

act of deliberately not following given instructions rules or official orders

His repeated refusal to comply led to disciplinary action.

refusal to supply

decision by a seller not to provide goods or services requested

The retailer's refusal to supply angered many regular customers.

right of first refusal

contractual right to enter a business transaction before others

The company secured the right of first refusal for the new product line.

meet with a refusal

experience a rejection or denial from someone

He met with a refusal when he asked for a raise.

Examples of first refusal in a sentence

The artist was given first refusal for the gallery exhibition.
He was given first refusal on the new shares.
The artist had first refusal on the gallery space.

View all translations of first refusal

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:premier refus, ...
German:Vorkaufsrecht, ...
Italian:prelazione, ...
Spanish:preferencia, derecho de tanteo, ...
Portuguese:direito de preferência, preferência, ...
Chinese:优先购买权, ...
Japanese:優先購入権, 第一拒否権, ...
Arabic:حَقّ الرَّفْض الأَوَّل, حَق الشَفعة, ...
Hebrew:זְכוּת סֵרוּב רִאשׁוֹנָה, זְכוּת סֵירוּב רִאשׁוֹנָה, ...
Russian:первый отказ, ...
Ukrainian:перша відмова, першочергове право, ...
Hindi:पहला अधिकार, पहला इनकार, ...
Bengali:প্রথম অগ্রাধিকার, প্রথম অস্বীকারের অধিকার, ...
Catalan:prioritat, dret de tempteig, ...
Czech:předkupní právo, ...
Danish:førsteret, førstegangskøb, ...
Dutch:voorkeursrecht, ...
Greek:προνόμιο πρώτης επιλογής, προτιμησιακό δικαίωμα, ...
Hungarian:elővételi jog, első vételi jog, ...
Khmer:សិទ្ធិទទួលឬបដិសេធមុនអ្នកដទៃ, សិទ្ធិទិញមុនគេ, ...
Korean:우선권, 우선 구매권, ...
Persian:اولین حق رد, حق تقدم خرید, ...
Polish:pierwszeństwo, pierwszeństwo zakupu, ...
Portuguese (BR):primeira recusa, preferência de compra, ...
Romanian:drept de prim refuz, drept de preemțiune, ...
Swedish:första vägran, första tjing, ...
Thai:โอกาสในการยอมรับหรือปฏิเสธก่อน, สิทธิ์ในการซื้อก่อน, ...
Turkish:öncelik hakkı, öncelikli satın alma hakkı, ...
Vietnamese:quyền từ chối đầu tiên, quyền ưu tiên mua, ...

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.