Phrase guide

school refusal

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The refusal of children or teens to go to school because of some sort of emotional distress. This can be caused by separation or social anxiety disorders, depression, or a phobia.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 學校恐懼症 /学校恐惧症 — refusal to go to school
  • Chinese Mandarin: 学校恐惧症 (xuéxiào kǒngjùzhèng) — refusal to go to school
  • Chinese Mandarin: 校園恐懼症 /校园恐惧症 — refusal to go to school
  • Chinese Mandarin: 校园恐惧症 (xiàoyuán kǒngjùzhèng) — refusal to go to school
  • Chinese Mandarin: 拒學症 /拒学症 — refusal to go to school
  • Chinese Mandarin: 拒学症 (jùxuézhèng) — refusal to go to school
  • Chinese Mandarin: 懼學症 /惧学症 — refusal to go to school
  • Chinese Mandarin: 惧学症 (jùxuézhèng) — refusal to go to school
  • Finnish: koulunkäyntihaluttomuus — refusal to go to school
  • Hungarian: iskolába járás megtagadása — refusal to go to school
  • Turkish: okul reddi — refusal to go to school