Meaning trap
turn down
reject
to refuse an offer, invitation, or request.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to refuse an offer, invitation, or request.
Another meaning of 'turn down' is 'reduce volume or heat'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
He turned down the invitation to the party because he was too tired.
If I were offered a job abroad, I would probably turn it down because I want to stay close to my family.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: They turned down me for the role.
Say: They turned me down for the role.
With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'turn me down'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Turn down' is the everyday verb for rejecting an offer; 'declined the offer of employment' is formal/written.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
turn down + offer
- the offer
- an invitation
- a request
- the job
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- turn down (reduce volume or heat) — Another meaning of 'turn down' is 'reduce volume or heat'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.