Avvisar

Avvisar is a Swedish verb meaning to reject, refuse, or dismiss. It is used when something is not accepted or not approved, such as a proposal, a request, or an offer, and can convey a formal or administrative sense depending on the context.

Etymology and cognates: Avvisa, formed with the prefix av-, comes from the basic verb visa (to show or indicate) with the sense of sending away or turning away. The word has cognates in Norwegian (avvise) and Danish (afvise), reflecting common Scandinavian roots. In Swedish, avvisa is transitive and commonly used in official, legal, or organizational language.

Grammar and usage: Avvisa is a regular, transitive verb. Its present singular form is avvisar, as in han avvisar förslaget (“he rejects the proposal”). The past tense is avvisade, and the supine form is avvisat. The perfect tense is built with have/har: har avvisat. The passive present is avvisas, and the passive past is avvisades. Common constructions include avvisa en ansökan (to reject an application), avvisa ett krav (to dismiss a claim), and more generally att avvisa ett förslag (to reject a proposal).

Context and notes: Avvisar appears across domains such as administration, law, and diplomacy, where decisions deny entry, requests, or claims. It is distinct from synonyms like avslå, which can carry nuance similar to “reject” or “overrule,” depending on the administrative or legal context.