Dictionary

refusednik en · NOUN

Etymology

From refused + -nik.

Meanings

1. (alt-of, alternative) Alternative form of refusenik (“one of the citizens of the former Soviet Union who was refused permission to emigrate”).
   alt of refusenik
   • "The most important point" in the agreement, said [Alexander] Luntz and another "Refusednik," Leonid Tsipin, 22, is that visas are to be given in order of application. This should preclude continued refusal of visas to dissidents and lead to release of those already imprisoned. 1974 October 20, Robert C. Toth, “Soviet Jews React Cautiously on Emigration”, in Los Angeles Times, volume XCIII, Los Angeles, Calif., →ISSN, →OCLC, part I-A, page 1, column 7:
   • “It’s overwhelming,” said Jonathan Gibbs, describing the turn of evens that brought the Berenfelds and other “refusedniks” to America. Jonathan said he prefers the term “refusedniks” as opposed to “refuseniks” because “they haven’t refused anything. They’re the ones being refused.” 1990 April 12, Angelo Carfagna, “Governor Joins Soviet Jews for Passover”, in Verona-Cedar Grove Times, volume 42, number 15, Verona, N.J., →OCLC, page A1, column 3:
   • In an interview this week, she [Tatyana Ziman] said the anxiety and hope of the “refusedniks” had reached a painful pitch in the weeks leading up to the summit. “Why are the hopes so high now?” Mrs. Ziman asked. “Because there is nothing else to pin their hopes on. The history of emigration the last few years is that when any head of government comes here, or when Gorbachev goes someplace where human rights are respected, he extracts a group of refusedniks and gives them as a gift.” 1988 May 29, Bill Keller, “Toward the Summit: An Expectant Air Hits Muscovites, Who Also Face Struggles at Home”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 May 2015:
   • Among those who already have gone are some of Moscow’s better-known “refusedniks,” those who were refused exit visas during the last years' clampdown on emigration. These departures, and the reverberations they have caused in both the refusednik and foreign communities here have been amplified by reports from abroad that the Soviets are opening the emigration valves again after drastically cutting back the flow in recent years. 1985 April 18, Celestine Bohlen, “Soviet Shift on Visas Raises Hopes, Concerns of ‘Refusedniks’”, in The Washington Post, Washington, D.C.: The Washington Post Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Sep 2015:

Forms