If we decide to sell the house, we'll give our tenants 'first refusal'. [=we will offer to sell the house to our tenants before offering to sell to other people]
My request for more money was met with a flat/firm 'refusal'.
She worried about his stubborn/steadfast 'refusal to eat'.
(..) and I believe that now. Times have changed. It's not like the old days, when we could do anything we wanted. A refusal is not the act of a friend. If Don Corleone had all the judges and politicians, then he must share them or let others use them. He must let us draw the water from the well. (..)1972 The Godfather