The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word FORSAKES
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
F
O
R
S
A
K
E
S
More clues leading to the result FORSAKES
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "rejects" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case rejects = forsakes.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does FORSAKES mean?
FORSAKES verb- To abandon, to give up, to leave (permanently), to renounce.