Synonyms for refuse
- verb
- noun
Synonyms by meaning
Verb
1. Reject — to decline (a request or demand)
reject, decline, turn down, withhold, say no informal, spurn, renounce, turn away, waive, repudiate, abdicate, pass up, abstain, rebuff, disdain, veto, negative formal, repel, forbear, repulse, disclaim, nill dated
Noun
1. Garbage
rubbish UK, waste, trash US CA, dregs, scrap, stuff, junk, scum, remains, slag, litter, odds and ends, offal, leavings, riff-raff, dross, debris, chaff, gash, lees, sweepings, garbage dated US AU CA
Other
Definitions
- v. 1
To decline (a request or demand).
My request for a pay rise was refused.
- v. 2
To decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission.
I refuse to listen to this nonsense any more.
- n. 1
Collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.
Related words
- Word family
- refusenik refusal refutal refute
- Phrases
- refuse collector refuse chute
Forms
- Past participle
- refused
e.g. refused → rejected, declined, spurned, renounced…
Example sentences
- decline I had to decline the invitation because I was ill.
- reject Voters may yet reject the misbegotten 'Dream Act'.
- withhold The government began to withhold foreign reserves.
- deny You can't deny the fact that she had a hand in it.
By length
- 4 letters
- deny2, junk1, scum1, veto2, defy2, slag1, lees1, gash1, balk1, nill1
- 5 letters
- stuff1, waste1, trash1, scrap1, waive1, repel2, chaff1, dregs1, offal, spurn1, dross1, baulk
- 6 letters
- resist2, reject2, debris2, litter2, rebuff2, unmind
- 7 letters
- remains2, decline2, garbage2, rubbish2, disdain2, abstain2, repulse2, forbear
- 8 letters
- negative3, withhold2, renounce2, abdicate3, disclaim2, leavings2
- 9 letters
- repudiate4, sweepings
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (deny2 = 2 syllables).