Meanings
plural offers one can't refuse
- idiomaticAn offer from one side in a transaction with terms so attractive that the other side is almost guaranteed to accept.
But in 2001 the government of Singapore made him an offer he couldn't refuse: the directorship of the brand new Genome Institute along with a $25 million starting budget.
2006 February 5, Michael D. Lemonick, “Are We Losing Our Edge?”, in Time - idiomaticA threatening offer by one party for which the results of failing to accept are so unattractive that the other party is almost compelled to accept.
The Mafia godfather Rocco . . . makes Jack an offer he can't refuse: marry Carol or else.
1991 September 22, Edward Rothstein, “Film: Hard Up for a Plot? Get With the Program”, in New York Times, retrieved 29 Jul 2012Synonyms: extortion
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA threatening offer by one party for which the results of failing to accept are so unattractive that the other party is almost compelled to accept.
Origin
Unknown. A famous example is found in the film The Godfather (1972).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
offer one can't refuse. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/offer%20one%20can't%20refuse
“offer one can't refuse.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/offer%20one%20can't%20refuse. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “offer one can't refuse,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/offer%20one%20can't%20refuse.
Source: offer one can't refuse on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.