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
Gene Maddaus, Variety, 12 Apr. 2025
Kylie said Jason refused to let the name just be Finn and insisted on Finnley.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 2 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
Drake was also accused of refusing to identify a person who rewrote the ending of the film, and who was not a guild member.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 12 Apr. 2025
Kylie said Jason refused to let the name just be Finn and insisted on Finnley.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 2 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
-
There are plenty of glaring examples, such as Steve Jobs and Google being rejected by some of the world’s most renowned VCs (https://www.bvp.com/anti-portfolio).—
Dileep Rao,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Superior Court Judge Craig Collins from neighboring Gaston county also rejected it after Tench’s friends and family — his mother, sister and aunts — submitted and read aloud letters underlining the effect Tench’s disappearance and apparent death have had.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Mountains of garbage are said to be visible from space and people have complained of seeing rats as big as cats in the refuse.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Apr. 2025
-
With the parent club, Davison has been stuck behind Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchard on the backcourt depth chart, limiting him to 15 mostly garbage-time appearances this season.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The hospital declined to say whether Ikner was one of their patients.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2025
-
County officials declined to comment on the civil lawsuit.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
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
-
Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
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
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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
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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 24 Apr. 2025.
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