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.

Forge noted that the right of first refusal process must be completed before trades on its platform are completed.

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

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

They were from managers, agents, and publishers, and concerned themselves with contracts, royalties, and demands for the first refusal of the next work of Miss Rosalind Chard, otherwise Eve Destiny.

From Poppy The Story of a South African Girl by Stockley, Cynthia