Refusal (-al), n.
1. The act of refusing; denial of anything demanded, solicited, or offered for acceptance. Do they not seek occasion of new quarrels, On my refusal, to distress me more Milton.
2. The right of taking in preference to others; the choice of taking or refusing; option; as, to give one the refusal of a farm; to have the refusal of an employment.
Shades of meaning
Fernald lists refusal only as an antonym, under entrance, permission, proposal.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.
Synonyms
none given