Synonyms of refusing

refusing

verb

present participle of refuse

1

as in denying

to be unwilling to grant

the reclusive movie star usually refuses requests for interviews

Synonyms & Similar Words

• denying
• rejecting
• declining
• withholding
• disallowing
• forbidding
• disapproving
• prohibiting
• restricting
• vetoing
• keeping
• banning
• nixing
• reprobating
• proscribing
• enjoining
• negativing
• restraining
• holding
• spurning
• checking
• impeding
• obstructing
• constraining
• hindering
• curbing
• rebuffing
• repressing
• repelling
• balking (at)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• allowing
• letting
• granting
• permitting
• providing
• giving
• supplying
• conceding
• affording
• authorizing
• furnishing
• acquiescing
• licensing
• commissioning
• according
• agreeing (to)
• warranting
• OK'ing
• consenting (to)
• sanctioning
• acceding (to)
• assenting (to)
• vouchsafing

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

• rejecting
• declining
• ignoring
• denying
• passing
• forbidding
• avoiding
• dismissing
• spurning
• withdrawing
• vetoing
• disapproving
• disputing
• repudiating
• deselecting
• turning down
• nixing
• reprobating
• balking (at)
• passing up
• throwing over
• prohibiting
• disdaining
• throwing out
• negativing
• rebuffing
• scorning
• renouncing
• overruling
• proscribing
• retracting
• revoking
• scouting
• turning one's back on
• disavowing
• sticking
• forbearing
• contradicting
• blowing off
• disclaiming
• forswearing
• recalling
• refuting
• abjuring
• recanting
• disallowing
• bypassing
• refraining (from)
• disowning
• abstaining (from)
• taking back
• shooting down
• controverting
• detouring
• disproving
• negating
• gainsaying
• rebutting
• unsaying
• disagreeing (with)
• reneging
• backtracking
• backing off
• backing down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• accepting
• approving
• receiving
• agreeing (to)
• taking
• tolerating
• adopting
• swallowing
• agreeing
• embracing
• welcoming
• choosing
• consenting
• condoning
• selecting
• assenting
• acceding
• countenancing
• supporting
• acquiescing
• espousing
• handpicking

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of refusing

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that Madrid’s position of refusing to allow the country’s military bases to be used in the ongoing Iran war had now changed. —Sam Meredith, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026

Last month, the agency faced a firestorm of criticism for initially refusing to review an application from Moderna for an mRNA flu vaccine before ultimately accepting the application with some adjustments. —Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 5 Mar. 2026

Her removal from office is the result of communities refusing to stay silent and demanding that those in power answer for the harm done to our neighbors. —Riley Moser, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026

Instead, Trump will have won by simply refusing to tell a story at all, outside of Hegseth’s absurd football-coach talk. —Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026

She was pointed about refusing to compromise on creative vision for the sake of commercial demographics. —Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026

She was pointed about refusing to compromise creative vision for commercial demographics. —Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2026

As is Lauren soft-forgiving her but refusing to share her Champagne. —Emma Specter, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026

The report then stressed the need for the diocese to abandon the practice of requiring victims to take polygraph tests and to stop refusing to investigate third-party complaints about priests. —ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026