refuse

Garbage or decline

Refuse works two ways depending on pronunciation.

With stress on the second syllable, it means to decline or reject: She refused the offer, He refused to answer.

You can refuse entry, refuse a request, or refuse to cooperate.

With stress on the first syllable, refuse is a noun meaning garbage or waste material: The refuse was piled by the curb.

This sense appears in formal or technical contexts—most people just say trash.

reject

decline

Decrease or refuse

denyRefuse to admit
spurnRefuse with contempt
rebuffAbrupt, curt rejection

dismiss · turn down · withhold · disallow · veto · nix · forbid · prohibit · block · oppose

trash

garbage

Discarded waste material

rubbishWaste or nonsense
litterScattered waste or debris
debrisScattered broken fragments

junk · scraps · detritus · discards · sweepings · dross · chaff · remnants · leavings · offal

disposal

landfill

Waste burial ground

dumpWaste disposal site
incinerationBurning waste to ash
compostDecayed organic fertilizer

recycling · collection · pickup · bin · dumpster · hauling · sanitation · curbside · sorting · container

defiance

resist

Oppose or refuse compliance

defyResist or challenge openly
balkRefuse to proceed
protestPublic expression of disapproval

disobey · rebel · stand firm · hold out · dissent · object · demur · abstain · boycott · strike

Categories

homographsalternate, bass, bow, close, compound
opposeoppose, resist, defy, reject, fight
refusalsno, decline, no thanks, nope, no thank you
rejectionrejection, reject, denial, rebuff, snub
resistanceresistance, defiance, resistance fighters, civil resistance, resist
castoffscrap, junk, trash, waste, discard

Opposites

acceptance vs rejection of requests/offers

refuseaccept

Consent to receive

agree · consent · acquiesce · assent · comply

granting vs denying permission

refuseallow

Grant permission for

permit · grant · let · sanction · authorize

provision vs withholding

refusegive

To transfer possession

provide · offer · supply · furnish · proffer

Phrases

I refuseFirm verbal rejection
offer one can't refuseProposal backed by threat
first refusalPriority purchasing right
right to refuseAuthority to decline
school refusalAnxiety-driven attendance problem
refuse collectorOne who removes waste

Family

refused, refusal, refusing, refuses, refusals, refuser, refusers, refusable, refuse collector

Familiarity: Top 10,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G