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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refusing
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
And Gus clearly thought so, too, as the camera then panned back to the golden, who was refusing to move any further along the path.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
But refusing to land until Netanyahu was out gives him domestic political capital and boosts his image across parts of the Muslim world.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
The former president’s move to get involved in the race comes as Spanberger has been on the front end of intense criticism from Republicans for refusing to pull her endorsement from Democrat Jay Jones’s Virginia campaign for attorney general.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 16 Oct. 2025
Stocks down, oil down , Treasury yields down , dollar down with VIX up above 25 and gold refusing to surrender another day's aggressive gain speak to a half-step back from risk.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2025
Brand, the Penn State Dickinson Law professor, told NPR that, as recipients of federal money, airports may face prohibitions on how to use that funding and that refusing to play the video could insulate them from future legal issues.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Some airports — including Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International — are refusing to play the video, which has been criticized for misusing federal dollars to impose a partisan message on passengers waiting to be screened at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
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
And Gus clearly thought so, too, as the camera then panned back to the golden, who was refusing to move any further along the path.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
But refusing to land until Netanyahu was out gives him domestic political capital and boosts his image across parts of the Muslim world.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
The former president’s move to get involved in the race comes as Spanberger has been on the front end of intense criticism from Republicans for refusing to pull her endorsement from Democrat Jay Jones’s Virginia campaign for attorney general.
—Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 16 Oct. 2025
Stocks down, oil down , Treasury yields down , dollar down with VIX up above 25 and gold refusing to surrender another day's aggressive gain speak to a half-step back from risk.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2025
Brand, the Penn State Dickinson Law professor, told NPR that, as recipients of federal money, airports may face prohibitions on how to use that funding and that refusing to play the video could insulate them from future legal issues.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Some airports — including Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International — are refusing to play the video, which has been criticized for misusing federal dollars to impose a partisan message on passengers waiting to be screened at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refusing
Verb
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The prince also accused his father of cutting him off financially, and Meghan said the royals discussed denying their children prince and princess titles and police protection.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
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Democrats are using their only point of leverage in the minority — denying the GOP enough votes to advance the stopgap funding bill passed by the House — as a way to force a debate about expiring health care subsidies.—
Deirdre Walsh,
NPR,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
House Speaker Mike Johnson is rejecting calls for Congress to hold a separate vote to pay military service members, who could miss paychecks next week if the government shutdown continues.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been adamant in rejecting the idea of an independent Palestinian state, and his polices over the years have often worked to undermine the PA, which aspires to govern a future State of Palestine.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Screening is key Across all ages, colorectal cancer cases and related deaths in the US have been declining for decades, Ng said, attributing that success to improvements in treatment and public health efforts to promote screening.—
Andrea Kane,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Many consumers have started to turn their backs on luxury goods; fed up with a lack of ingenuity, skyrocketing daily expenses, and arguably declining quality, shoppers are thinking twice before splurging on designer items.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The next morning, Federline called his lawyer Mark Kaplan to draft a legal letter demanding that Spears stop breastfeeding their children, and Federline left town to promote his record, ignoring her calls and messages.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
16 Oct. 2025
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Signs of sass becoming a problem include growling or snapping, guarding objects, ignoring basic commands persistently, or biting and destroying items.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Refusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refusing. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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