refuse

The word “refuse” means to say no to a request, offer, or order. In plain terms, as a verb, turning something down; as a noun (stressed differently, REF-use), it means trash or rubbish.

“Refuse” is pronounced REHF-yoos (/ˈɹɛfjuːs/ in IPA).

Here is “refuse” used in a sentence: “She refused to sign the contract until the terms were changed.”

Depending on how it is used, “refuse” can be a verb and a noun.

The word “refuse” comes from Middle French. Borrowed into Middle English from Middle French refuser, "to refuse.".

“Refuse” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Refuse” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to say no to a request, offer, or order.

Both verbs mean to say no to a request, offer, or order, but decline is softer and more polite, as in declining an invitation. Refuse is firmer and more absolute, and it is the natural choice for orders or demands, as in "He refused to leave." Use decline for courteous rejections and refuse for emphatic ones.

Refuse is a heteronym: one spelling covering two different words. The verb, meaning to say no, is stressed on the second syllable (re-FUSE), while the noun, meaning waste material or rubbish, is stressed on the first (REF-use). The stress shift signals which word is intended.

To refuse is to say no to a request, offer, or order, and it often takes an infinitive, as in "She refused to sign." To reject is to dismiss something or someone as unacceptable or not good enough, as in rejecting a proposal or an application. Refuse focuses on the act of saying no; reject focuses on judging something unworthy.

Refuse is followed by the to-infinitive, never the -ing form. Correct English is "He refused to answer," not "He refused answering." This makes refuse different from verbs like avoid or deny, which take the -ing form instead.