refused
word · lemma: refuse
/ɹəfˈjuzd/
ri-FYOOZD
/ɹɪfjˈuːzd/
ri-FYOOZD
Definition
Past tense of 'refuse'. It means someone said no to something, did not accept it, or was not willing to do it.
Usage & Nuances
Common patterns are 'refuse to do something' and 'refuse an offer/request'. It is stronger and more direct than 'decline', which is often more polite or formal. 'Refused' is the past form; the noun 'refuse' means trash and is unrelated in pronunciation.
Spanish: rechazar - negarse aPortuguese (BR): recusar - se recusar aPortuguese (PT): recusar - negar-se aChinese (Simplified): 拒绝 - 不肯Chinese (Traditional): 拒絕 - 不肯Hindi: इंकार किया - मना कर दियाArabic: رفض - امتنع عنBengali: অস্বীকার করেছিল - রাজি হয়নিRussian: отказался - отказалась - отказалисьJapanese: 断った - 拒否したVietnamese: từ chốiKorean: 거절했다 - 거부했다Turkish: reddettiUrdu: انکار کیا - رد کیاIndonesian: menolak
Example Sentences
She refused the job offer.
basic
He refused to answer the question.
basic
The dog refused to eat.
basic
I refused to let them blame me for it.
natural
She refused my help, even though she was clearly struggling.
natural
They refused to back down during the meeting.
natural