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

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See Examples For:

first refusal

Swinney announced the first refusal policy ahead of a campaign visit to Inverness, saying it could help those struggling to get on the property ladder.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

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

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 18, 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

OpenAI has also committed to purchasing $250 billion in Azure cloud services from the tech giant, though Microsoft no longer holds first refusal rights as OpenAI's compute provider.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2025

Had he really known what was in his mind, he would have had nothing more to do with him after his first refusal.

From The Unknown Wrestler by H. A. (Hiram Alfred) Cody