verb (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 Antonyms: take , accept to decline to accept (something offered). to refuse an award. to decline to give; deny (a request, demand, etc.). to refuse permission. 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 express a determination not to (do something). to refuse to discuss the question. to decline to submit to. to decline to submit to. (of a horse) to decline to leap over (a barrier). (of a horse) to decline to leap over (a barrier). to decline to accept (a suitor) in marriage. 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. 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. Obsolete. to renounce. verb (used without object) refuses , present (3rd person singular) refused , past participle, past refusing present participle to decline acceptance, consent, or compliance. to decline acceptance, consent, or compliance. something that is discarded as worthless or useless; rubbish ; trash ; garbage . something that is discarded as worthless or useless; rubbish ; trash ; garbage . rejected as worthless; discarded . refuse matter. rejected as worthless; discarded . (tr) to decline to accept (something offered) to refuse a present to refuse promotion (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) 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 (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 (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 (tr) (of a woman) to declare one's unwillingness to accept (a suitor) as a husband anything thrown away; waste; rubbish ( as modifier ) a refuse collection anything thrown away; waste; rubbish anything thrown away; waste; rubbish ( as modifier ) a refuse collection ( as modifier ) a refuse collection 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 quasi-refused adjective refusable adjective unrefusable adjective unrefused adjective unrefusing adjective Inflected Forms refusing present Conjugated Forms have refused perfect has refused perfect am refusing progressive are refusing progressive is refusing progressive have been refusing perfect progressive

has been refusing perfect progressive had refused perfect was refusing progressive were refusing progressive had been refusing perfect progressive will refuse simple will have refused perfect will be refusing progressive will have been refusing perfect progressive Origin of refuse 1 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 refuse 2 First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English from Middle French, Old French refus “dross, waste,” derivative of refuser to refuse 1 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: She said she decided to take action after her dog was repeatedly injured by broken glass and other refuse . From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026 If there were any time to turn our noses up in defiance and refuse to engage with anything less than quality, it’s now. From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026 This paves the way for rarely used powers to override objections from peers should they refuse to pass it again. From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026 They say their books go unreviewed in outlets that previously covered their work and that bookstores, especially independents, refuse to stock or display their titles. From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026 “You think I ought to refuse him then,” said Harriet, looking down. From "Emma" by Jane Austen 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 Anyone who refuses to comply could face a £70 fixed penalty notice or be prosecuted, with courts able to impose a maximum fine of £1,000. From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026 He refuses to shave until he’s released, Cabrera said. From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026 Kevin Reddington, Clancy's main lawyer, told a Massachusetts court Thursday that there is "one juror who refuses to listen to the law that you've given him or her on reasonable doubt." From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026 Cady refuses, even though, in spite of herself, she loves him as much as ever. From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank At the press conference following the decision, Chairman Kevin Warsh refused to say how many more rate hikes might be required to bring inflation back to the Fed’s 2% target. From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026 He initially refused to rule out military force. From Salon ● Sep. 16, 2026 Gonzaba allegedly refused to stop for officers and then led police on a pursuit. From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026 Last week, a US appeals court refused to put Judge Talwani's order on hold. From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026 When Chief Lapu Lapu refused to submit, Magellan decided to take Mactan by force. From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly There is no particular virtue in refusing yourself the same generosity at dinner. From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026 Robson was booked Monday evening and charged with one misdemeanor count of trespassing and refusing to leave private property, according to court records. From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026 The ruling was an order refusing to lift a lower court’s stay of execution—a decision of utmost importance to one of the parties, but a routine matter for the justices. From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026 One juror was the holdout, refusing to vote for acquittal. From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026 Nobody was refusing him permission to be up on the wall now. From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques 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. Join 14,000,000 vocabulary learners Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer. You'll remember them forever.