1
as in denying
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 rejecting
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refusing
By March, school districts across California are supposed to implement new guidance from the attorney general, including by clearly marking non-public areas and codifying a system for refusing access to immigration officers.
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Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
On the play before his score, Allen gained 10 yards on a sneak, refusing to go down while being pushed and pulled to the goal line.
—Mark Long, Twin Cities, 11 Jan. 2026
While refusing to fight for the Confederacy and trying to reach safety in Mexico, the group was ambushed by Confederate soldiers on horseback in the 1862 Battle of the Nueces, also called the Nueces massacre.
—Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 10 Jan. 2026
This is what people power looks like — showing up, fighting back, and refusing to let our neighbors be disappeared.
—Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 10 Jan. 2026
According to the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched in November to a residence in the Linville community of Marion after a caller reported a neighbor standing in their driveway screaming and refusing to leave the property despite having been warned previously.
—Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Top Department of Homeland Security officials said the officer had acted in self-defense as the woman drove her car toward him while refusing commands to exit her vehicle.
—Sarah Bedford, The Washington Examiner, 9 Jan. 2026
The Wisconsin faithful stayed put, drenched and delirious, as if refusing to let the night slip away like so many before it.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Not only has the move imposed financial constraints on the Colombian leader, but his official duties abroad have been affected, with multiple airports refusing to refuel his presidential plane due to the sanctions.
—Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refusing
Verb
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Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell released a video statement on Sunday night denying criminal wrongdoing shortly after the Department of Justice opened an investigation into him.—
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The vaccine misinformation advanced by the president and his science-denying Secretary of Health and Human Services is taking its toll on vaccination rates.—
Verb
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Two in 5 Gen Zers are pursuing blue-collar work, rejecting the collegiate path and learning trades, according to a May 2025 survey of 1,434 young adults by Resume Builder.—
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And the British nations, as ever, remained aloof, England rejecting a late offer to step in for Austria.—
Verb
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According to the company, the declining profits stemmed from low drug reimbursement rates and slow retail sales.—
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After all, there are signs that the economy is improving (unemployment and inflation are declining), but after the economic struggles of recent years, and with household debt still high, an additional financing source won't hurt, either.—
Verb
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Alyssa Farah Griffin attempted to cut in, with Navarro ignoring her in the moment.—
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James said the administration has not provided evidence of fraud or misuse of child care funding in New York, while ignoring the standard processes for withholding such funds.—
Cite this Entry
“Refusing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refusing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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