Definition of refuse - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
reject proposaltr./intr. to show that one does not accept or agree with somethingtr./intr.
- He refused the terms of the agreement..
2.
deny accesstr. deny entrance or membershiptr.
- They refused him entry to the club.
3.
horse jumpingintr. TECH. UK be unwilling to take a jumpintr. TECH. UK
- The horse refused at the last hurdle.
Noun
waste materialitems or material discarded as worthless
- The alley was cluttered with refuse from the nearby apartments..
Images of refuse

items or material discarded as worthless
Expressions with refuse
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
not change one's opinion or decision
Despite the evidence, he refused to budge on his stance.
proposal so good or forceful that saying no feels impossible
That job is an offer you can't refuse!
irresistible proposal or opportunity that cannot be declined
He made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
offer with terms too good to decline
The promotion came with an offer she couldn’t refuse.
decline without hesitation or compromise
She refused point-blank to attend the meeting.
waste materials and garbage produced by people in their homes
The city collects household refuse twice a week.
not allow someone to enter a place or event
They refuse admittance to anyone without an ID.
person employed to collect and dispose of waste
The refuse collector picked up the bins early in the morning..
pile of waste materials or discarded items
The refuse heap behind the house was growing larger.
insist on staying involved and not being ignored
We refuse to be sidelined in this important discussion!
decide not to allow a formal meeting for discussion
The judge may refuse a hearing if the case lacks evidence.
process of collecting treating and getting rid of unwanted household or industrial waste
The city invested in new technology for safer refuse disposal.
large waste items not suitable for regular trash
The city scheduled a pickup for bulky refuse.
vertical passage for waste disposal in buildings
The apartment has a refuse chute on each floor.
Origin of refuse
Latin, re (back) + fundere (pour)
Terms with refuse included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
polite refusal
politely refuse an offer or invitation
refuse offer
refuse to accept or agree to something offered or suggested
refusal
refuse or reject an offer or request
manners
politely refuse an offer or invitation
disregard intentionally
refuse to take notice of or acknowledge
refuse option
deciding to refuse or reject something
behavior
refuse to listen to something
agreement
agree or give permission because no reason to refuse
refusal
refuse to accept or allow something
stay hopeful
refuse to stop believing in something
decision
refuse to take an opportunity offered
communication
refuse or reject an offer or request
conversation
polite way to refuse doing something suggested by another person
refuse provision
refuse to give or grant something requested or desired
resolute
refuse to change one's mind
refusal
refuse to accept or agree to something
relationship
refuse a romantic advance or proposal
conflict
oppose or refuse to accept something
sudden stop
stop suddenly and refuse to continue
refusal
refuse to comply or accept
conflict
situation where opposing parties refuse to compromise
protest action
refuse to buy or use goods or services to show disapproval
refusal
refuse to engage with as a form of protest
figurative behavior
deliberately refuse to notice or deal with a clear problem
Examples of refuse in a sentence
They refused the offer without hesitation. The manager refused her application for membership. They refused the protestors access to the building. The stallion refused twice during practice. She was frustrated when her horse refused again. The park was filled with refuse after the festival.
Refuse collection happens every Monday.
View all translations of refuse
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:rejeter, déchets, ...
- German:ablehnen, Abfall, ...
- Italian:rifiutare, rifiuti, ...
- Spanish:rechazar, desechos, ...
- Portuguese:rejeitar, resíduos, ...
- Chinese:拒绝, 垃圾, ...
- Japanese:拒否する, ごみ, ...
- Arabic:رَفَضَ, نفايات, ...
- Hebrew:לְדַחוֹת, אַשְׁפָּה, ...
- Russian:отказывать, мусор, ...
- Ukrainian:відхиляти, сміття, ...
- Hindi:अस्वीकार करना, कचरा, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the