Meaning & use
refused
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“refused” is a form of “refuse”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
Said or showed that you would not do, accept, or allow something.
Grammar: Often takes a direct object or a to-infinitive: 'she refused the job,' 'she refused to leave.'
Patterns
- refused something
- refused to do something
- refused someone something
He refused the invitation because he was already busy.
She refused to answer any more questions.
They refused us entry to the building.
verbtransitive
Was not accepted or allowed; was turned down by someone in authority.
Grammar: Used in the passive: the thing comes first and the person or body follows with 'by.'
Patterns
- something was refused
- something was refused by someone
His visa was refused without explanation.
The application was refused by the bank.
Her request for extra time was refused.
Word forms
| base form | refuse |
|---|---|
| third person singular | refuses |
| past tense | refused |
| past participle | refused |
| -ing form | refusing |
Common combinations
- flatly refused
- She flatly refused to sign the document.
- refused point-blank
- He refused point-blank to discuss the matter.
- refused an offer
- The company refused our offer politely.
- refused permission
- The council refused permission for the new road.
- refused to comment
- The spokesperson refused to comment on the rumors.
Synonyms and how they differ
- declined
- Declined is more polite and formal, often used for invitations and offers; refused can sound firmer or harsher.
- rejected
- Rejected stresses that something was judged unacceptable, while refused stresses the act of saying no.
- turned down
- Turned down is informal and common in speech; refused fits better in writing and formal contexts.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: refused or refute?
refused vs refute
Refute means to prove something wrong, not to say no to it; 'he refused the claim' and 'he refuted the claim' mean very different things.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'refused' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Refuse' is followed by a to-infinitive or a direct object, so 'refused to accept the offer' is correct. 'Refused going' uses the wrong verb form, and 'refused to the party' and 'refused for' wrongly add prepositions.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “refused”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.