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ablehnen
/ˈaːpl̩ˌneːn/
to reject
Sie hat seinen Antrag abgelehnt.
She rejected his proposal.
formalinformal
To refuse or decline something, often formally or politely.
Der Antrag wurde vom Ausschuss abgelehnt.
The application was rejected by the committee.
Er lehnte das Angebot höflich ab.
He politely declined the offer.
Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, often with 'höflich' (politely) or 'formell' (formally).
Collocations
höflich ablehnento politely declineformell ablehnento formally rejecteinen Antrag ablehnento reject an application
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal
Use 'ablehnen' for formal refusals (e.g., job offers, legal decisions). For casual declines, 'verweigern' or 'abschlagen' may sound more natural.
Gold Rule
Reflexive Use
The reflexive form 'sich ablehnen' means to disqualify oneself, often in legal or competitive contexts.
Word Origin
From Middle High German 'ablehnen', from 'ab-' (off) + 'lehnen' (to lean, reject).
Usage Notes
Often used in formal contexts like job applications, legal decisions, or polite refusals. Can be used reflexively ('sich ablehnen') to mean 'to disqualify oneself'.
Word Breakdown
ab-
off, away
prefixlehnen
to lean, reject
rootDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch