1
as in to deny
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 to reject
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
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
refuse had littered the playground until our volunteer group cleaned it up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in discarded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of refuse
Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
The United States Patent and Trademark Office refuses trademarks that are primarily geographically descriptive, which is rather obvious.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Hannah Gold, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
Crews of men have been engaged this week removing the winter’s accumulation of refuse.
—Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025
David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Cement mixers, roll-off and dump trucks, which all share a common architecture, will be built first, followed by refuse trucks and terminal tractors.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 7 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for refuse
Verb
The company’s appeal was refused earlier this month, according to British court records.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
The United States Patent and Trademark Office refuses trademarks that are primarily geographically descriptive, which is rather obvious.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
The dirty floor was barely visible beneath the immense clutter of half-broken furniture; utensils and cooking appliances were streaked with saucy refuse; and people were packed together, yelling as if there weren’t just two centimeters of void between them.
—Hannah Gold, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
Crews of men have been engaged this week removing the winter’s accumulation of refuse.
—Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
Officials with the city’s Bureau of Sanitation said the existing trash fees have not been generating enough money to cover the true cost of refuse collection.
—David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2025
Cement mixers, roll-off and dump trucks, which all share a common architecture, will be built first, followed by refuse trucks and terminal tractors.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 7 Dec. 2023
See All Example Sentences for refuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refuse
Verb
-
An immigration judge denied her bond request Wednesday, citing her as a flight risk and danger to the community.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Citing information from an informant who officials have said is credible, the Department of Homeland Security has alleged that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, a claim his family and attorneys deny.—
Faris Tanyos,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Guo, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, rejected Trump’s assertions suggesting progress toward a trade deal.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Hours before the scheduled execution on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a final appeal by Mendoza's attorneys to stop the execution.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Unlike a regular old garbage bag, these are leakproof and durable (and thus much harder for a squirrel to rip into, if given the chance).—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Four 20-pound bags of hamburger buns and sandwich breads got hit with Stop Sales, sending 80 pounds of bread into the garbage.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
County officials declined to comment on the civil lawsuit.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
The hospital declined to say whether Ikner was one of their patients.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Wallen briefly hugged the actress but seemed to ignore the rest of the cast and quickly walked past view of the camera.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2025
-
However, Catherine was unimpressed by him going overboard — and ignoring the importance of bedside manner — in the clinic.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Those headed to Asheville can help with debris removal and rebuilding projects through All Hands and Hearts and the United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County, while Los Angeles visitors can volunteer with L.A. Works to repair homes, assemble food packages and organize clothes for survivors.—
Shoshi Parks,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Associated Press video showed the hospital’s caved-in roof surrounded by debris.—
Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Because of their risk of catching fire, lithium-ion batteries cannot be thrown out in the trash, curbside bins, or even battery recycling boxes.—
Aimee Picchi,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Fruit flies will also target places where food is disposed of, like your trash bins or drains.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This anti-waste brand upcycles materials, and was founded by Kisa Sky Shiga.—
Nadja Sayej,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2022
-
Fanning out like urban guerrillas through Paris’ darkened streets well after midnight, the anti-waste activists shinny up walls and drain pipes, reaching for switches to turn off the lights. Click.—
The Christian Science Monitor,
The Christian Science Monitor,
3 Aug. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Refuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refuse. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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