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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refuse
Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 30 May 2025
The situation only escalated when the veteran refused to remove the flagpole, accruing $1,000 in fines.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2025
James Wood, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
But even with some trucks rolling, the immense quantity of refuse is overwhelming and options for residents to get rid of their waste are limited and time-consuming.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Apr. 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
That came in the context of Madrid’s TV station’s campaigns against Spanish officials, with the possibility raised in the build-up that Madrid may refuse to play the game.
—Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 30 May 2025
The situation only escalated when the veteran refused to remove the flagpole, accruing $1,000 in fines.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 May 2025
Noun
These killings doubled as cover for war crimes and a brutal shrug: what else to do with those cast as human refuse?
—James Wood, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
But even with some trucks rolling, the immense quantity of refuse is overwhelming and options for residents to get rid of their waste are limited and time-consuming.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Apr. 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
-
Small business owners should not be denied access to their customers because of the government’s desire to place unnecessary restrictions on commerce.—
Julian Canete,
Oc Register,
4 June 2025
-
By denying the federal watchdog access to the department's records, the lawmakers believe McMahon is failing to meet her obligation as an agency head.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
Brentford have rejected an offer of around €9million (£7.6m; $10.2m) from Bayer Leverkusen for their first-choice goalkeeper Mark Flekken but negotiations are ongoing over a potential deal.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
Paramount is currently engaged in mediation talks with Trump’s attorneys, who recently rejected a $15 million settlement offer and threatened further litigation, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
Duluth, Minnesota, has installed effective and unobtrusive signs at each beach entrance next to a garbage receptacle.—
John Michael Pierobon,
Sun Sentinel,
25 May 2025
-
Allegiance The Resistance, led by General Leia Organa, regroups on the garbage planet Anoat, while Finn and Poe go on a secret mission to retrieve a weapons cache to increase their dwindling arsenal.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
25 May 2025
Verb
-
The April 11 ruling came during a hearing in Maryland, where a Justice Department attorney declined to provide basic details about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
7 June 2025
-
Full-time workers declined by 623,000, while part-timers rose by 33,000.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
What can also be said with certainty, however, is that — even ignoring, for one moment, the events that brought him to Chelmsford crown court in Essex, east of London — this is a story of what might have been.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
As the state on Thursday summed up the brutal details that made up the prosecution’s case, a relative walked out of the courtroom with a loud scream, causing Petrone to tell the jury to ignore the outburst.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Fortunately, the lighter rainfall levels have decreased the risk of a debris flow taking place in the Eaton and Palisades fire burn scars, a possibility forecasters warned of Monday.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
-
Remove brush and debris piles from around the home.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
Your town may have a trash pickup walk, a Thanksgiving turkey trot or a stroll to historic sites.—
Elizabeth Passarella,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
My trash fee could exceed $2,000 per year — for service that used to cost nothing.—
Steven Cordova,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 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 10 Jun. 2025.
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