refused 1 of 2

adjective

as in rejected

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refused

2 of 2

verb

past tense of refuse
1
as in denied
to be unwilling to grant the reclusive movie star usually refuses requests for interviews

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declined
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to she refused the award, citing the hard work of others who deserved the recognition more than she did

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of refused
Adjective
Eight were transported to a local hospital and four refused transport. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Verb
Related Articles The union says the museum has refused to negotiate better pay, including time and a half on bank holidays. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 West refused and went to Texas before the baby was born, prompting Paxton to secure a court order saying the baby must receive lifesaving medical care after birth. — Nicole Brown Chau, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 Cheryl SchererDiane Scherer-Morris As year after year passed with no answers, the Scherer family refused to let go of hope. — Dateline Nbc, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026 In March, Doctors Without Borders alleged that Gilead had refused to allow the nonprofit to purchase the drug directly for its own programs. — Michal Ruprecht, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026 When the Civil War began, Hinds refused to let the boy go along. — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 Officers trained in crisis negotiations made numerous attempts to contact O’Neill, who refused to respond, the release said. — Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 Barker refused to fly for 13 years Barker swore off flying after the accident. — Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026 Two of the men were accosted at a local restaurant, and they’ve also been refused service in town, Cox said. — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refused
  1. vetoed
  2. denied
  3. rejected
  4. stopped
  5. declined
  6. ignored
Adjective
  • The Zach Werenski situation spiraled into a vetoed trade to the Stars, then settled.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • The vetoed bills aimed to create a regulated retail market, new oversight bodies, public health and equity programs, and a rollout schedule for licensing, regulations, and enforcement.
    — Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
Definition of vetoed
Verb
  • Anderson denied any involvement in the shooting, and Keffe D said Tupac was actually his nephew’s favorite rapper.
    — Andy Rose, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Davis denied any involvement in an interview with CBS Las Vegas affiliate KLAS-TV.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of denied
Verb
  • The bill passed by the Senate, but the House of Representatives rejected the measure in February.
    — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Forest are also still keen on Lucas Bergvall, the Swedish international, although Tottenham’s valuation of the midfielder could be a stumbling block, with the London club having already rejected one bid.
    — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of rejected
Adjective
  • Three other vehicles with human drivers then appeared to illegally pass the stopped bus.
    — Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
  • The truck crossed into the eastbound lane and crashed into the stopped Kia, striking the three pedestrians, CHP said.
    — Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of stopped
Verb
  • Quinn declined, however, to move Coleman earlier in camp when starting center Nick Allegretti went down with a calf injury, opting instead to use Julian Good-Jones and let Coleman focus on left guard.
    — Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The case was rejected by the District Attorney’s office in April 2024, and the Santa Monica City Attorney’s office declined to press charges.
    — Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of declined
Verb
  • Often ignored in discussions about drought, fire, and climate change in general, are the world’s oceans, which are warming just as the air is.
    — John Vaillant, Time, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Not to be ignored, the drink scene beyond the Belmont brewpubs is also thriving.
    — Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignored

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Cite this Entry

“Refused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refused. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of refused for Spanish Speakers

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