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to reject or decline something offered or requested
He refused to sign the contract without legal advice.
He declined to sign the contract without consulting a lawyer.
Can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
to deny or reject something as unacceptable or inadequate
The court refused to accept the evidence due to its questionable origin.
The court rejected the evidence because of its dubious source.
Often used in legal or formal contexts.
to decline to do something
She refused to answer the question.
She declined to answer the question.
Common in everyday conversation.
'Refuse' is often used in formal contexts, but it can also be used informally.
In formal contexts, 'refuse' is often used to decline offers or requests. In informal contexts, it can be used to decline actions or requests.
From Middle English 'refusen', from Old French 'refuser', from Latin 'refusare', meaning 'to pour back' or 'to reject'.
Can be used as a transitive verb (requires an object) or intransitively (without an object).