refuse — to say or show that you are not willing to do, give, or accept something
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to say or show that you are not willing to do, give, or accept something
Pronunciation (IPA): /rɪˈfjuːz/
Example Sentences
- My cat refuses to wear the cute dinosaur costume I bought.
- He refused the job offer because the salary was too low.
- The garbage truck comes to collect refuse every Tuesday.
refuse
VERB[/rɪˈfjuːz/]
to say or show that you are not willing to do, give, or accept something

The scientist refused to alter the research results.

The queen refused the unfair proposal. (REJECT + SAY NO = REFUSE → refuse means to reject or decline something

Refuse the misuse, or everything may be lost.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Old French 'refuser' meaning to reject or decline, derived from Latin 'recusare' which combines 're-' (back) and 'causa' (cause/reason), literally meaning to oppose or object.
Breakdown
re- (back/against) + fuse (from Latin fusus, past participle of fundere meaning to pour/cast) = refuse (to pour back, reject)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My cat refuses to wear the cute dinosaur costume I bought.”
“He refused the job offer because the salary was too low.”
“The garbage truck comes to collect refuse every Tuesday.”
“My phone refuses to charge when I really need it most.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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