ablehnend
dismissive
An attitude or reaction that expresses rejection, disapproval, or a negative stance.
EXAMPLE
Auf meinen Vorschlag reagierte er mit einer ablehnenden Geste.
He responded to my suggestion with a dismissive gesture.
ablehnend
dismissive
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word family
'Ablehnend' (dismissive) is the present participle of the verb 'ablehnen' (to reject). It describes a person, attitude, or reaction that actively rejects or disapproves of something.
EXAMPLE
Er hat eine ablehnende Haltung gegenüber neuen Technologien.
He has a dismissive attitude toward new technologies.
Sentence structure with 'gegenüber'
To express what the rejection is directed against, the preposition 'gegenüber' (toward) with the dative is often used. The preposition can come either before or after the dative object.
EXAMPLE
Sie steht meinem Plan ablehnend gegenüber.
She is dismissive toward my plan.
Typical collocations
'Ablehnend' (dismissive) is often used as an adverb with verbs such as 'reagieren' (to react), 'sich verhalten' (to behave), or 'sich äußern' (to comment/express oneself). As an adjective, it often describes nouns such as 'Haltung' (attitude), 'Antwort' (answer), or 'Bescheid' (notice/decision).
EXAMPLE
Auf unsere Anfrage erhielten wir einen ablehnenden Bescheid.
We received a negative decision in response to our request.
Compare with
ablehnend vs abgeneigt
averse / disinclined
Abgeneigt and ablehnend both describe a negative attitude toward something or someone. Abgeneigt can simply indicate a lack of inclination, whereas ablehnend usually expresses clearly shown rejection or disapproval. Use „abgeneigt“ for an inner attitude and „ablehnend“ for a noticeable reaction.
ablehnend
Ich reagierte ablehnend auf den Vorschlag und wies ihn sofort zurück.
I reacted dismissively to the proposal and rejected it immediately.
abgeneigt
Ich bin dem Vorschlag nicht völlig abgeneigt, möchte aber noch darüber nachdenken.
I am not entirely averse to the proposal, but I would like to think about it some more.
In real life
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