1
as in denying
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 rejecting
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refusing
The documents included disciplinary information and reportedly showed that Sherrill was barred from walking at her 1994 graduation after refusing to inform on classmates involved in a cheating scandal.
—
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
The violations include student-athletes betting on and against their own teams, sharing information with third parties for purposes of sports betting, manipulating scoring or outcomes and/or refusing to participate in the investigation.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Many Canadians are boycotting American goods and refusing to travel to the US.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
By refusing to specify details of the case, the government keeps the possibility alive of changing their reasoning or their claims to have the same effect for different reasons—just as the mob changes its reasoning for killing Cinna.
—JSTOR Daily, 23 Oct. 2025
Cameron echoed Senate Republicans that Democrats were preventing negotiations by refusing to provide the votes to overcome a filibuster and reopen the government.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025
Having been run out of the movie theater for entry without payment and refusing to go back to his abusive home, a 12-year-old boy (Miles Ekhardt) sucks fiercely on his emotional support pacifier while trying to hitchhike his way out of town.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
One person was arrested after blocking the roadway and refusing to move their vehicle, Lee said, adding that the person was later transported for medical reasons but remains subject to arrest.
—Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 18 Oct. 2025
In August 2023, the airline apologized to two passengers who were escorted off a plane after refusing to sit in a soiled seat.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
The violations include student-athletes betting on and against their own teams, sharing information with third parties for purposes of sports betting, manipulating scoring or outcomes and/or refusing to participate in the investigation.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025
Many Canadians are boycotting American goods and refusing to travel to the US.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
By refusing to specify details of the case, the government keeps the possibility alive of changing their reasoning or their claims to have the same effect for different reasons—just as the mob changes its reasoning for killing Cinna.
—JSTOR Daily, 23 Oct. 2025
Cameron echoed Senate Republicans that Democrats were preventing negotiations by refusing to provide the votes to overcome a filibuster and reopen the government.
—Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 23 Oct. 2025
Having been run out of the movie theater for entry without payment and refusing to go back to his abusive home, a 12-year-old boy (Miles Ekhardt) sucks fiercely on his emotional support pacifier while trying to hitchhike his way out of town.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
One person was arrested after blocking the roadway and refusing to move their vehicle, Lee said, adding that the person was later transported for medical reasons but remains subject to arrest.
—Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 18 Oct. 2025
In August 2023, the airline apologized to two passengers who were escorted off a plane after refusing to sit in a soiled seat.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refusing
Verb
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According to the woman, her parents’ reasoning for denying her requests was rooted in a harsh lesson about independence.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
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The company has also filed a countersuit denying allegations of wrongdoing, while claiming over $116 million in damages and lost profits.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a video obtained by the Sun, Perry also hinted at their connection while rejecting another mid-concert proposal from a fan.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The long-odds necessity, at this late hour, of rejecting Mamdani is thus not merely a municipal judgment for the Big Apple.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The documents contained details of disciplinary action and indicated that Sherrill was prohibited from participating in her 1994 graduation ceremony after declining to identify classmates implicated in a cheating incident.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The country’s bear population is increasing, perhaps because the human population is declining and abandoning rural settlements.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The first-grade teacher shot by her 6-year-old student at a Virginia elementary school took the stand to testify Thursday in her civil trial against a former assistant principal, who is accused of ignoring multiple warnings that the boy may have brought a gun to school before the shooting.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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Seeing her murder on video, and passengers just ignoring her and walking away, broke my heart like nothing ever has.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Refusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refusing. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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