ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Refuse

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈɹɛfjuːs/ · Part of speech adjective

Quick meaning: Refuse is an adjective meaning Discarded, rejected.

Meaning

Discarded, rejected.

More Meanings

  1. Collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.
  2. (transitive) To decline (a request or demand).
  3. (intransitive) To decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission.
  4. (ditransitive) To withhold (something) from (someone); to not give it to them or to bar them from having it.
  5. (military) To throw back, or cause to keep back (as the centre, a wing, or a flank), out of the regular alignment when troops are about to engage the enemy.
  6. (obsolete, transitive) To disown.
  7. (obsolete) refusal

Example Sentences

My request for a pay rise was refused.
I refuse to listen to this nonsense any more.
If ye refuse […] ye shall be devoured with the sword.
I asked the star if I could have her autograph, but she refused.

Word Forms

Synonyms for refuse

Depending on context, synonyms include discards, garbage, rubbish, trash, decline, reject.

Antonyms for refuse

Common opposites include apply, have, take, admit, allow, accept.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include reject, deny, resist, defy, decline, garbage.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.