Synonyms of refused

refused 1 of 2

adjective

as in rejected

Related Words

• rejected
• revoked
• vetoed
• stopped
• disallowed
• discouraged
• prevented
• suppressed
• excluded
• repressed
• precluded
• disapproved
• unsanctioned
• objectionable
• unsuitable
• blocked
• shut out
• hindered
• unseemly
• improper
• inappropriate
• unauthorized
• ruled out
• obstructed
• ineffable
• illicit
• illegal
• impeded
• unmentionable
• unlawful
• unlicensed
• illegitimate

Dissimilar Words

• permitted
• permissible
• acceptable
• allowable
• appropriate
• permissive
• authorized
• accepted
• endorsed
• allowed
• approved
• legal
• legitimate
• lawful
• certified
• licensed
• tolerable
• OK
• bearable
• granted
• accredited
• warranted
• endurable
• sanctioned
• supported
• promoted
• commanded
• encouraged
• sufferable
• required
• ordered
• mandatory
• suitable
• proper
• vouchsafed
• accorded
• tolerated
• condoned
• countenanced
• brooked
• unobjectionable
• seemly

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• denied
• rejected
• declined
• withheld
• disallowed
• disapproved
• forbade
• vetoed
• nixed
• prohibited
• kept
• restricted
• banned
• negatived
• enjoined
• reprobated
• rebuffed
• spurned
• proscribed
• restrained
• checked
• repelled
• constrained
• held
• impeded
• hindered
• curbed
• obstructed
• repressed
• balked (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• allowed
• let
• permitted
• granted
• provided
• conceded
• gave
• supplied
• afforded
• furnished
• authorized
• commissioned
• licensed
• acquiesced
• agreed (to)
• warranted
• consented (to)
• sanctioned
• accorded
• OK'd
• assented (to)
• acceded (to)
• vouchsafed

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rejected
• declined
• denied
• ignored
• passed
• vetoed
• withdrew
• dismissed
• forbade
• avoided
• spurned
• disapproved
• disputed
• nixed
• repudiated
• balked (at)
• turned down
• deselected
• passed up
• threw over
• threw out
• reprobated
• negatived
• overruled
• rebuffed
• disdained
• prohibited
• scorned
• scouted
• retracted
• renounced
• revoked
• recalled
• turned one's back on
• proscribed
• forbore
• contradicted
• disavowed
• recanted
• disclaimed
• blew off
• refrained (from)
• refuted
• shot down
• abjured
• stuck
• abstained (from)
• took back
• gainsaid
• disowned
• bypassed
• disallowed
• forswore
• reneged
• rebutted
• disproved
• detoured
• backtracked
• controverted
• disagreed (with)
• negated
• backed off
• unsaid
• backed down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepted
• approved
• agreed (to)
• received
• took
• adopted
• agreed
• tolerated
• swallowed
• welcomed
• embraced
• consented
• acquiesced
• chose
• selected
• condoned
• countenanced
• supported
• acceded
• assented
• espoused
• handpicked

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of refused

Adjective

Eight were transported to a local hospital and four refused transport. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 3 June 2026

Verb

The head coach lauded improvements from the offensive line, said the running game got better in the second half and refused to throw receiver Romeo Doubs under the bus, noting that drops sometimes happen. — Chad Graff, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Anthropic also found evidence that a reseller platform routed refused biology prompts toward models with weaker safeguards. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026

Yet when Anthropic reported the conversation to Bay Area police, the company refused to provide the man’s chat logs — as the Prospect observes, essentially reporting the man without sharing any tangible evidence of misconduct. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 10 Sep. 2026

The residents also told the county that Farmers has refused to pay for adequate remediation of the contaminants and declined to cover ongoing living expenses. — Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Late Thursday, Clark refused to stay his order, and a panel of judges on the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals is currently overseeing an appeal of his order. — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026

Another former 21 Air chief pilot, Bruce Joseph, testified to the tribunal that at least three pilots had refused to fly due to safety concerns. — Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026

Yet ahead of this impending doom, the trio refused to succumb to gloom. — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

Reports said Musk refused to let Starlink to be used to support an attack on a Russian naval base in 2022. — ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026