1
as in to deny
to be unwilling to grant
the reclusive movie star usually refuses requests for interviews
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reject
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
refuse had littered the playground until our volunteer group cleaned it up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in discarded
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refuse
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Because of this, many speak in code, avoid mentioning political leaders, constantly delete content from their phones and refuse to express opinions in WhatsApp groups.
—Cnn, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
Marina Wang, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2025
In the film, a man named Nikola who has been forced to give up his life as a farmer to work on a landfill discovers an injured stork picking through refuse and attempts to nurse the bird back to health.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025
David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Cement mixers, roll-off and dump trucks, which all share a common architecture, will be built first, followed by refuse trucks and terminal tractors.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 7 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for refuse
Verb
But Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has refused to budge, defending blue slips as a core component of the Senate’s constitutional role in providing advice and consent.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Because of this, many speak in code, avoid mentioning political leaders, constantly delete content from their phones and refuse to express opinions in WhatsApp groups.
—Cnn, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Proto-dogs, for example, would have dug through human trash heaps, and cats were attracted to the mice that gathered around refuse.
—Marina Wang, Scientific American, 14 Nov. 2025
In the film, a man named Nikola who has been forced to give up his life as a farmer to work on a landfill discovers an injured stork picking through refuse and attempts to nurse the bird back to health.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 14 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Officials with the city’s Bureau of Sanitation said the existing trash fees have not been generating enough money to cover the true cost of refuse collection.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Cement mixers, roll-off and dump trucks, which all share a common architecture, will be built first, followed by refuse trucks and terminal tractors.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 7 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for refuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refuse
Verb
-
The philanthropic organization has denied any business partnership or personal relationship with Epstein.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The congresswoman has consistently denied any wrongdoing, but has not entered a plea in the criminal case.—
Anthony Man,
Sun Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Supervisors Shanti Landon, Anthony DeMattei and Suzanne Jones made up the three votes rejecting the loan.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Kaiser flatly rejects the notion that the strike is about anything other than reimbursement.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
According to the Wall Street Journal, less than the burning of wood and garbage.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
-
In Churchill, the trash sites have all been bear-proofed (enclosed so the animals can’t graze among the garbage), but not so in Arviat, where Inuit enforcers show up in their buggies to honk loudly and chase the bears away from open-air landfills.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In another development, researchers in the US developed a new method that could turn discarded data center hardware into a reliable, eco-friendly source of rare earths and valuable metals.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Coleman declined to pursue the case, a police report said.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Across the other devices, both Mac and Wearables, Home & Accessories sales declined year over year, while the market anticipated slight growth.—
Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And ignoring that fact is now no longer a laughing matter.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
28 Jan. 2026
-
All of these teens had in fact ignored their notices to appear.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In addition to clearing debris, Guard officials said, troops have assisted more than 200 people stranded in vehicles and homes and given nearly 300 emergency and healthcare workers rides to work.—
Sophie Bates,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Already too much of Havana – a once beautiful city now littered with debris from buildings collapsing under years of neglect – looks like a war zone.—
Patrick Oppmann,
CNN Money,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That includes chores such as picking up trash, vacuuming, or stirring a pot of food, though the robot has also been seen jogging and dancing.—
Andrea Guzmán,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Fruit flies will still find rotten food thrown in the trash and drink cans that still contain liquid, so keep a lid on the bins for extra protection.—
Emma Ashe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Refuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refuse. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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