take no for an answer

verb

To accept a refusal or rejection and cease pressing the issue.

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Meanings

verbtake no for an answer (third-person singular simple present takes no for an answer, present participle taking no for an answer, simple past took no for an answer, past participle taken no for an answer)

present singular third person takes no for an answer · participle present taking no for an answer · past took no for an answer · participle past taken no for an answer

  1. idiomaticTo accept a refusal or rejection and cease pressing the issue.

    However, as anyone who knew Adrian Shooter would affirm, he very rarely took no for an answer.

    2024 August 21, Peter Plisner, “The changing role of our railway stations”, in RAIL, number 1016, page 62
    1 more example

    No, I won't take no for an answer / Girl I made up my mind / Gonna be loving you, loving you / No, I won't take no for an answer

    1976, Eddie Kendricks, “I Won't Take No”, in He's A Friend

Translations

Finnish hyväksyä kieltävä vastaus
  • hyväksyä kieltävä vastausaccept a disappointing response
Cite this entry
APA

take no for an answer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20no%20for%20an%20answer

MLA

“take no for an answer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20no%20for%20an%20answer. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “take no for an answer,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/take%20no%20for%20an%20answer.

Source: take no for an answer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.