1
as in denies
to be unwilling to grant
the reclusive movie star usually refuses requests for interviews
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rejects
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refuses
Many of Cure’s products are imported—German beer, French cheese and Spanish Marcona almonds, which Bodenheimer refuses to substitute.
—
Irene Adeline Milanez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Jan. 2026
But Ellison refuses to go away.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 Jan. 2026
Svitolina, from Ukraine, refuses to shake hands at the net with any Russian or Belarusian players.
—Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Boone refuses chance after chance to admit error.
—Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
DiZoglio also says Campbell refuses to represent the Auditor’s office or even allow outside counsel to represent the office.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Today, a Luddite is your grandparent who keeps looking at the screen rather than the camera when on Zoom, the Boomer who types in all-capital letters, the grouchy man who refuses to get a smart phone, the professor spewing invective against Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
However, Lucy refuses to budge and be involved with the case, and Marianne (Gabriella Pession) agrees she shouldn’t be pressured into doing so.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 21 Jan. 2026
The doctor refuses to base her (non) answer on science and instead reverts to a political response.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026
Irene Adeline Milanez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Jan. 2026
But Ellison refuses to go away.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 Jan. 2026
Svitolina, from Ukraine, refuses to shake hands at the net with any Russian or Belarusian players.
—Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Boone refuses chance after chance to admit error.
—Julius Taranto, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
DiZoglio also says Campbell refuses to represent the Auditor’s office or even allow outside counsel to represent the office.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Today, a Luddite is your grandparent who keeps looking at the screen rather than the camera when on Zoom, the Boomer who types in all-capital letters, the grouchy man who refuses to get a smart phone, the professor spewing invective against Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok.
—Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026
However, Lucy refuses to budge and be involved with the case, and Marianne (Gabriella Pession) agrees she shouldn’t be pressured into doing so.
—Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 21 Jan. 2026
The doctor refuses to base her (non) answer on science and instead reverts to a political response.
—Arkansas Online, 20 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refuses
Verb
-
Court denies Brad Raffensperger’s legal challenge.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Reyna’s lawyer, Theodore Batsakis, said his client denies killing Villalba but declined to comment further.—
Matthew Ormseth,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Hemingway rejects the idea that one thing can explain another.—
Akhil Sharma,
New Yorker,
28 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
Verb
-
Using rolling peaks, which measure declines from the most recent market high rather than calendar periods, the S & P 500 has gone 185 days without a 10% drawdown, a stretch that, by itself, does not signal an imminent correction.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Calls for repeal come with leaders of Balboa Park museums and other organizations saying that declines in park visits have ranged from 20% to more than 50% and that overall annual revenue could drop by $20 million to $30 million.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ma puts the red wine to one side, ignores the shortbread, and scoops a glob of cream cheese onto her fingertip.—
Molly Aitken,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
-
But that ignores the middle stages, where the majority of the chaos and excitement happens.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Refuses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refuses. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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