refuse
verb (used with object)
to decline to accept (something offered).
were refusing
-
past progressiveof refuse.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Workers were demanding salary increases, protection against subcontracting and job loss through automation, and were refusing to comply with FIFA’s request to collect sensitive private information such as nationality and home addresses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026
Officials said the men were refusing to come out for fear of being arrested.
From BBC ● May 19, 2025
As a reporter and a photographer crouched expectantly in the bushes behind his Los Angeles home, his two wild ravens were refusing to cooperate with a photo shoot.
From New York Times ● Jun. 19, 2024
Farsakh said many of the medics were refusing to evacuate hospitals and abandon patients.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 12, 2023
And then, as if the situation was not horrifying enough, Gwenforte trotted up and sat down beside Jeanne, as if she, too, were refusing to pay obeisance to King Louis IX of France.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
