Definitions

first refusal

NOUN

first chance to buy something

Synonyms

WEAK

first option option preemption prior right of purchase refusal right of preemption

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

SpaceX, like many other private firms, typically holds the right of first refusal.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 18, 2026

On top of its initial lease, AMD holds an option for an additional 75 megawatts of capacity and a right of first refusal for another 100 megawatts.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

“They offered no advance. The clause that I really should have taken out was the right of first refusal, which boxed me in,” she explained.

From Slate • Nov. 3, 2025

A coroner decides if a discovery is treasure and a museum usually gets first refusal over whether to store it.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2025

I had heard women say that if a man really cared for a woman he would easily brook the first refusal and speedily return.

From The Inner Sisterhood A Social Study in High Colors by Sherley, George Douglass