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.
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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
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refusernoun
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quasi-refusedadjective
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refusableadjective
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unrefusableadjective
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unrefusedadjective
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unrefusingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
refusesimple
-
refusessimple
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have refusedperfect
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has refusedperfect
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am refusingprogressive
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are refusingprogressive
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is refusingprogressive
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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
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"The Civil Rights Movement"
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"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
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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:
The most we can offer is our voices, actions and constant vigilance; to refuse ignorance together and demand accountability as a community.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
Google said Argon is designed to refuse requests that could help carry out cyberattacks or develop chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
Burnham said it will be made easier for councils to acquire private rented homes in poor condition if landlords refuse to take action after being issued warnings.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Extreme fraternity and sorority pledging often hinges on a harsh power dynamic: Aspiring members must complete whatever tasks the recruitment leaders assign them—and are punished if they refuse.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
At the top of the stairs, I’m embarrassingly winded, but I refuse to let it show.
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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
"It's necessary to support a struggle against the indifference of a government that refuses to accept that there is a disappearance crisis," said 69-year-old Atanacio Pina, whose missing son was later found dead.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
If you’re the Fed, “you’re really going to have to crush everything that isn’t AI, if AI refuses to slow down,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
But if the Fed tightens and gold refuses to break — particularly if longer-term yields remain under pressure — investors should consider a more consequential possibility.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
If someone puts his own needs first—whether he is injured, sick, or simply refuses to cooperate—that person becomes the weakest link.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
State officials, however, refused to reconsider her case in light of that fact.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
She refused to do her chores, saying she wanted to talk to Google’s AI instead.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear her claim that “the mental suffering and psychological terror she will experience under Tennessee’s lethal injection protocol is cognizable under the Eighth Amendment.”
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
The following day, Rana refused to take the field, leaving England waiting in the middle for play that did not get under way.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
With Henry by her side, Kate turned her wine glass over and refused alcohol.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
This lock-in effect—homeowners refusing to sell and give up a low mortgage rate they locked in years ago—has allowed prices to continue rising, even as demand has sagged.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
After the vote, Benkirane said the party would stay in opposition, refusing a partnership with Pam.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
I told him so, refusing to comply and letting him know that he shouldn’t be giving away money he needed to borrow.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
Everything after that was him refusing to go down without two or three Saugus players pulling him down.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026
“You are right in refusing to help. It is no concern of yours.”
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
Definitions 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.
