demur
Voice polite disagreement
To demur is to raise an objection or express reluctance, usually politely: She demurred when asked to speak first.
The word suggests hesitation rather than outright refusal—a gentle pushing back.
As a noun, demur is the objection itself: He accepted without demur.
Not to be confused with demure, meaning modest or reserved.
Disinclination to act
- hesitancyUnwillingness to proceed
- qualmMomentary moral hesitation
- scrupleMoral doubt or hesitation
- reservationAdvance arrangement to hold
misgiving · doubt · wavering · pause · uncertainty · indecision · vacillation · ambivalence
Public expression of disapproval
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- exceptionDeviation from standard
- challengeTest of ability
- remonstranceFormal expression of protest
complaint · opposition · disagreement · disapproval · caveat · quibble · protestation · expostulation
reluctance
Disinclination to act
reservation · misgiving · doubt · wavering · pause · uncertainty · indecision · vacillation · ambivalence · tentativeness
protest
Public expression of disapproval
remonstrance · complaint · opposition · disagreement · disapproval · caveat · quibble · protestation · expostulation · remonstration
decline
Decrease or refuse
plea
Formal request or defense
- refusalsno, decline, no thanks, refuse, nope
- reluctancereluctance, unwillingness, disinclination, hesitation, reticence
- objectionsobjection, complaint, protest, refutation, counterpoint
- disagreementsdisagree, argue, dispute, quarrel, argument
- rejectionrejection, reject, denial, refuse, refusal
- stallingstall, stalling, delay, hesitate, procrastinate