refuses

Refuses is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb refuse. Refuse means to decline to accept, approve, or grant something, or to deny or reject a proposal, request, or obligation. It can describe a voluntary rejection by an individual, organization, or system. Examples include "She refuses the invitation" and "The committee refuses the proposal." Refuse can also describe resistance to comply, as in "The device refuses to operate" or "The patient refuses treatment."

Grammatical usage is flexible. Refuse can take a direct object (refuse something) or be followed by an infinitive clause (refuse to do something). In negation, the present form is typically shown with does not: "He does not refuse to help," while the affirmative third-person form is "he refuses." The noun form is refusal, meaning the act or instance of declining or rejecting, with the plural refusals used in more formal or bureaucratic contexts.

Etymology is typically traced to Old French refuser and Latin recusare, reflecting a long-standing sense of denial or rejection. The word’s core meaning remains the voluntary act of not accepting or complying, though contexts can range from casual personal refusals to formal or legal rejections.

Usage and tone vary by context. Refusal can carry courteous or firm connotations, and in legal or administrative settings, the noun refusal or rejection is often preferred for formality. Related terms include reject, decline, turn down, and deny, each with nuance regarding degree of force, formality, or particular kind of non-acceptance.