refused

Refused is the past tense and past participle of the verb refuse, meaning to decline to accept or to deny something offered or requested. It can indicate a decision not to permit, grant, or comply. For example, a committee may refuse a request, or a gate may be refused entry. In passive constructions, one might say that a request was refused.

Etymology and forms: Refuse derives from Old French refuser, which itself comes from Latin recusare, meaning to object or deny. The verb has several forms: the base form is refuse; the present tense forms are refuse (I/you/we/they) and refuses (he/she/it); the present participle is refusing; the past tense and past participle are refused. The word is distinct from the noun refuse, which means waste material or garbage.

Usage notes: The past tense refused is used for completed decisions in the past. The noun refusal is often used to refer to the act or instance of declining, such as a formal refusal by an authority. It is common to encounter phrases like “refused permission,” “refused to comply,” or “refusal of entry.” The term should not be confused with the noun refuse (garbage), which is spelled the same but pronounced differently in many dialects.

In popular culture: Refused is also the name of a Swedish hardcore punk band formed in the early 1990s, known for influential releases such as The Shape of Punk to Come. The band's name is capitalized and treated as a proper noun.

See also: refusal, reject, decline.