refused 1 of 2

adjective

as in rejected

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refused

2 of 2

verb

past tense of refuse
1
as in denied
to be unwilling to grant the reclusive movie star usually refuses requests for interviews

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in declined
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of refused
Adjective
Eight were transported to a local hospital and four refused transport. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 3 June 2026
Verb
Sheriff’s officials said the gunshot victim did not cooperate with investigators and refused to provide information about the incident. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Federal authorities first agreed to a joint investigation, but Justice Department officials later refused to cooperate with state police, deeming any review of the fatal shooting unnecessary. — Megan Rose, ProPublica, 3 Sep. 2026 But Castro was released a week ago after a federal judge refused to order Texas to extradite him. — Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 He was never officially diagnosed and refused to seek help, his mother said at the time. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026 Muhammad Asif, a factory worker in Karachi, says his daughter Manahil was refused admission to school because of her HIV diagnosis. — Betsy Joles, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 Having refused to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in 2019, a group dominated by China, New Delhi has signed free trade agreements with New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. — C. Raja Mohan, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026 Audi would love to build a third-generation R8, but the company has stubbornly refused to nudge the Nuvolari in that direction. — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 27 Aug. 2026 But when al-Baghdadi announced in April 2013 that the Nusra Front would be folded into the Islamic State group, al-Sharaa refused and pledged allegiance to al-Qaida’s Ayman al-Zawahiri instead. — Jason M. Blazakis, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refused
  1. vetoed
  2. denied
  3. rejected
  4. stopped
  5. declined
  6. ignored
Adjective
  • The Zach Werenski situation spiraled into a vetoed trade to the Stars, then settled.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • The vetoed bills aimed to create a regulated retail market, new oversight bodies, public health and equity programs, and a rollout schedule for licensing, regulations, and enforcement.
    — Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026
Definition of vetoed
Verb
  • The Attorney General’s Office could not be reached for comment on why the grant was denied.
    — Jake Ramsey, Oklahoma Watch, 30 Aug. 2026
  • If that application is denied, deportation could be a death sentence.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of denied
Verb
  • The decision follows a separate antitrust ruling last year, when a judge rejected calls to force Google to divest Chrome.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos,Drew Troast, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Newcastle made an offer to Marseille for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in early August, though the 31-year-old rejected the move.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of rejected
Adjective
  • Three other vehicles with human drivers then appeared to illegally pass the stopped bus.
    — Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
  • The truck crossed into the eastbound lane and crashed into the stopped Kia, striking the three pedestrians, CHP said.
    — Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Feb. 2026
Definition of stopped
Verb
  • Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
  • When asked about the lack of any tributes or the evening’s plans to honor Nolan, the Ocean Springs School District declined to comment.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of declined
Verb
  • Neighbors said their complaints about the empty lot were ignored for years until a fire burned part of the property and neighbor Kayt Miranda's garage early on Wednesday morning.
    — Joy Benedict, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The stock that spent two years being ignored by the same investors who loaded up on Hilton and Marriott is now having its moment.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignored

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refused
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Cite this Entry

“Refused.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refused. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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