Refuse example sentences
Related (15): reject, decline, deny, rebuff, spurn, repudiate, garbage, waste, trash, rubbish, debris, acceptance, agreement, consent, willingness
"Refuse" Example Sentences
Common Phrases
- refuse to budge
- refuse entry
- refuse a request
- refuse an offer
- refuse to admit
- refuse to accept
- refuse to acknowledge
- refuse to compromise
- refuse point blank
- refuse outright
- refuse collection
- refuse disposal
- refuse to listen
- refuse to cooperate
Examples by Level
A1
- I refuse to eat the green vegetables.
- He refuse to go to school today.
- She said no — she refuse.
A2
- My brother refuse to help me with my homework, so I had to do it alone.
- The shop refuse to take back the broken phone without a receipt.
- I refuse to apologize because I did nothing wrong.
B1
- He's the type who will refuse help even when he clearly needs it — stubborn doesn't begin to cover it.
- Most people refuse to admit their mistakes, but at least she's honest about hers.
- They refuse to budge on the price, which means we're probably walking away from this deal.
B2
- The government's refusal to refuse the offer came as a surprise to everyone who'd been pushing for stricter terms.
- She'd spent years watching him refuse every opportunity that didn't fit his narrow vision of success.
- What struck me wasn't that he'd refuse — it was how calmly he said it, like he'd made peace with the decision long ago.
C1
- There's a peculiar kind of dignity in knowing when to refuse, in understanding that saying no is sometimes the most honest thing you can do.
- The artist's decision to refuse commercial sponsorship, though financially ruinous, became the defining act of her career.
- What we often interpret as stubbornness is sometimes just someone's decision to refuse to compromise on something they've decided matters.
C2
- He'd learned, over decades, that the most powerful thing a person could do was refuse — not with anger, but with absolute clarity.
- She didn't refuse in a theatrical or performative way; it was the quiet, immovable refusal of someone who'd already calculated the cost and decided it was worth paying.
- There's a particular kind of freedom that comes with the ability to refuse without explanation, without apology, without needing anyone's permission or understanding.
Examples by Scenario
🏠 Everyday Life
- My kid refuse to wear anything but that one shirt, even though it's covered in stains.
- The dog refuse to come inside no matter how many times I call — he's having too much fun.
- I refuse to use self-checkout anymore; the machines are more trouble than they're worth.
💼 Workplace
- When I asked if he'd take on the extra project, he just refuse without giving a reason.
- The team refuse to work weekends, and honestly, I don't blame them after last month.
- She refuse to attend the meeting because she felt her input wasn't valued anyway.
📊 Business
- The vendor refuse to lower their rates, so we're exploring other suppliers.
- Our biggest client threaten to leave if we refuse to customize the product for them.
- The board refuse to approve the expansion until we show stronger quarterly numbers.
🛒 Buying / Shopping
- I refuse to pay that much for a coffee maker — there's got to be something cheaper that works just as well.
- The store refuse to take back the shoes even though I've only worn them once.
- They refuse to give me a discount, so I'm taking my business elsewhere.
✈️ Travel
- The airline refuse to rebook us on the next flight, which meant we were stuck for six hours.
- Our hotel refuse to honor the rate we'd booked online, claiming it was an error.
- I refuse to travel with checked luggage anymore — the fees are ridiculous.
📚 Education
- The student refuse to turn in the assignment, saying it was pointless busywork.
- My daughter refuse to go to tutoring even though her grades are slipping.
- The school refuse to make accommodations for kids with learning disabilities without a formal diagnosis.
❤️ Relationships
- He refuse to talk about what happened, and that silence is eating away at us both.
- She refuse to forgive him, and I understand why — some things can't be unsaid.
- We refuse to let our families' drama ruin what we have, no matter how much pressure they put on us.
📰 News / Politics
- The senator refuse to comment on the scandal, which only fueled more speculation.
- Activists refuse to leave the building until their demands are met.
- The government refuse to release the documents, citing national security concerns.
💻 Technology
- The app refuse to load on my phone, even after I've restarted it three times.
- He refuse to use social media, which makes him one of the few people I know who's actually opted out.
- The software refuse to recognize my password, so I'm locked out of my account.
📝 Formal Writing
- The committee refuse to approve the proposal without substantial revisions to the methodology.
- Participants who refuse to complete the survey were excluded from the final analysis.
- The institution's policy refuse to permit exceptions under any circumstances, regardless of individual circumstances.