refuse
1 Americanverb (used with object)
-
refuses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
refused,
past participle, past
-
refusing
present participle
-
to decline to accept (something offered).
to refuse an award.
- Synonyms:
- rebuff
-
to decline to give; deny (a request, demand, etc.).
to refuse permission.
-
to express a determination not to (do something).
to refuse to discuss the question.
-
to decline to submit to.
-
(of a horse) to decline to leap over (a barrier).
-
to decline to accept (a suitor) in marriage.
-
Military. to bend or curve back (the flank units of a military force) so that they face generally to the flank rather than the front.
-
Obsolete. to renounce.
verb (used without object)
-
refuses,
present (3rd person singular)
-
refused,
past participle, past
-
refusing
present participle
noun
adjective
verb
-
(tr) to decline to accept (something offered)
to refuse a present
to refuse promotion
-
to decline to give or grant (something) to (a person, organization, etc)
-
(when tr, takes an infinitive) to express determination not (to do something); decline
he refuses to talk about it
-
(of a horse) to be unwilling to take (a jump), as by swerving or stopping
-
(tr) (of a woman) to declare one's unwillingness to accept (a suitor) as a husband
noun
Synonym Usage
Refuse, decline, reject, spurn all imply nonacceptance of something. To decline is milder and more courteous than to refuse, which is direct and often emphatic in expressing determination not to accept what is offered or proposed: to refuse a bribe; to decline an invitation. To reject is even more positive and definite than refuse : to reject a suitor. To spurn is to reject with scorn: to spurn a bribe.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
refusernoun
-
quasi-refusedadjective
-
refusableadjective
-
unrefusableadjective
-
unrefusedadjective
-
unrefusingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
refusesimple
-
refusessimple
-
have refusedperfect
-
has refusedperfect
-
am refusingprogressive
-
are refusingprogressive
-
is refusingprogressive
-
have been refusingperfect progressive
-
has been refusingperfect progressive
Past
-
refusedsimple
-
had refusedperfect
-
was refusingprogressive
-
were refusingprogressive
-
had been refusingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of refuse1
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English refusen, from Middle French refuser, Old French ultimately from Latin refūsus, past participle of refundere “to pour back”; see refund 1
Origin of refuse2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English from Middle French, Old French refus “dross, waste,” derivative of refuser to refuse 1
Explanation
To refuse is to decline, deny, reject, or resist. If a stranger offers you candy, you should politely refuse. As a noun, refuse (pronounced REF-yooss) is food waste, scraps, or garbage. As a verb, refuse (pronounced ree-FYOOZ) means to reject. If you’re mad at me, you’ll probably refuse my invitation to hang out. If your fashion sense isn't up to date, the bouncer at an exclusive nightclub might refuse entry to you. If you’re sick and you need a kidney transplant, your doctor will give you drugs to stop your body from refusing the donor kidney.
Vocabulary lists containing refuse
"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Civil Rights Movement"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Characteristically, their parents refused even to make sure doors were closed, as it was “essential that we refuse to surrender to fear.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
When girls refuse to comply with the law, schools are required to hold a series of discussions with pupils and their parents before cases are referred to education authorities.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
“But I refuse to become comfortable with that reality.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Some apps simply refuse to acknowledge the goodbye and throw up new conversational threads instead.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
“Oh! yes, very. Nobody cares for a letter; the thing is, to be always happy with pleasant companions. I am quite determined to refuse him. But how shall I do? What shall I say?”
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
If a university refuses to recognize a fraternity chapter that is still chartered by its national organization, it can continue to operate off campus without oversight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
The administration says it seeks assurances from those countries that the deported persons will not be not be abused or persecuted, but it refuses hearings for individuals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
But he refuses to listen and marries her anyway.
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
It's early on in her career, and Destiny refuses to disclose precisely what she is earning, but says she's already making money.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
But there’s another part of me, I guess the part of me from right now, the older me, that refuses to do that.
From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle
But perhaps the most damning testimonial comes from Musk himself – or rather, existing audio recordings of Musk delivered by an AI version of the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, since he refused to participate.
From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026
Fillol said her landlord refused to make repairs, telling her and the other tenants they would struggle to find affordable alternatives.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
A little over 4 in 10 say they refused the second time.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
"Eritrea has had every chance to accept the return of criminals and those with no right to be in the UK. Unlike other countries, it has refused," said Mahmood.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Some part of me knew it, but my heart refused to feel it.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
Instead, the lawsuit says, ICE is keeping a much broader swath of property and refusing to provide an explanation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
Am I being selfish for refusing to leave the house, or a good part of it, to my aunt’s children?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
For every Leicester City Premier League victory or Emma Raducanu run in New York, there are countless more examples of sport refusing to follow the fairytale script.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The Associated Press news agency drew his wrath for refusing to adopt the name "Gulf of America" in place of "Gulf of Mexico."
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
I slapped his hand away and kept on walking, refusing to acknowledge him.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
