Other forms: refused; refusing; refuses 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. verb show unwillingness towards synonyms: balk , decline see more see less antonyms: accept give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to types: show 9 types... hide 9 types... disdain , freeze off , pooh-pooh , reject , scorn , spurn , turn down reject with contempt contract out refuse to pay a levy to a union for political use regret decline formally or politely repudiate refuse to recognize or pay disobey refuse to go along with; refuse to follow; be disobedient rebuff , repel , snub reject outright and bluntly sit in participate in an act of civil disobedience counteract , countermine , sabotage , subvert , undermine , weaken destroy property or hinder normal operations balk , baulk , jib , resist refuse to comply type of: react , respond show a response or a reaction to something verb refuse to accept “He refused my offer of hospitality” synonyms: decline , pass up , reject , turn down disdain , freeze off , pooh-pooh , reject , scorn , spurn , turn down reject with contempt see more see less antonyms: accept receive willingly something given or offered have , receive get something; come into possession of show more antonyms... types: dishonor , dishonour refuse to accept bounce refuse to accept and send back verb refuse entrance or membership synonyms: reject , turn away , turn down disdain , freeze off , pooh-pooh , reject , scorn , spurn , turn down reject with contempt verb refuse to let have synonyms: deny abnegate , deny deny oneself (something); restrain, especially from indulging in some pleasure see more see less types: show 7 types... hide 7 types... keep back , withhold hold back; refuse to hand over or share block , freeze , immobilise , immobilize prohibit the conversion or use of (assets) keep to oneself withhold information deny refuse to grant, as of a petition or request reserve hold back or set aside, especially for future use or contingency immobilise , immobilize hold as reserve or withdraw from circulation; of capital deprive keep from having, keeping, or obtaining type of: hold on , keep retain possession of verb elude, especially in a baffling way synonyms: defy , resist see more see less types: beggar be beyond the resources of type of: elude , escape be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by

verb resist immunologically the introduction of some foreign tissue or organ synonyms: reject , resist see more see less type of: react , respond show a response or a reaction to something noun worthless material that is to be disposed of synonyms: garbage , rubbish , scrap , trash see more see less types: show 5 types... hide 5 types... scrap metal discarded metal suitable for reprocessing debris , detritus , dust , junk , rubble the remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up litter rubbish carelessly dropped or left about (especially in public places) slack dust consisting of a mixture of small coal fragments and coal dust and dirt that sifts out when coal is passed over a sieve scrap iron iron to be melted again and reworked type of: waste , waste material , waste matter , waste product any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted noun food that is discarded (as from a kitchen) synonyms: food waste , garbage , scraps see more see less type of: waste , waste material , waste matter , waste product any materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted Vocabulary lists containing refuse This list covers some of the basic words in Shakespeare's play about the assassination of the titular Roman ruler. You can find our lists covering more difficult words here . Here are links to our lists for the play: Act I , Act II , Act III , Act IV , and Act V Here are links to our lists for other plays by William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet , The Tempest , Hamlet , King Lear , Much Ado About Nothing , Twelfth Night , Measure for Measure , Othello , A Midsummer Night's Dream Learn these words from the history article by Kevin Supples (Inside: Level C, Unit 3). Here are our links to the selections of "Making a Difference": The Civil Rights Movement , Midway , Martin's Big Words; I Have a Dream , Speaking Up , Speeches on the Little Rock Nine Here are our links to the units of Level C: Unit 1 , Unit 2 , Unit 3 , Unit 4 , Unit 5 , Unit 6 , Unit 7 , Unit 8 Here are our links to the Inside books: Level A , Level B , Level C Here is our link to a list of academic vocabulary for Inside: Academic Vocabulary In this poignant short story set on Venus, Ray Bradbury explores isolation and bullying. Here are links to our lists for short stories by the award-winning author: A Sound of Thunder , All Summer in a Day , August 2026 , Marionettes, Inc. , The Black Ferris , The Drummer Boy of Shiloh , The Flying Machine , The Pedestrian , The Veldt Sign up now (it’s free!) Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.