Give
Give verb - To put before another for acceptance or consideration.
Usage example: she gave the committee her grant proposal
Refuse
Refuse verb - To be unwilling to grant.
Usage example: the reclusive movie star usually refuses requests for interviews
How words are described
| human | human give | human refuse |
| right | right give | right refuse |
| little | little give | little refuse |
| bad | bad give | bad refuse |
| Other adjectives: main, official. | ||
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
- They frequently refuse to give interviews and often refuse to have their pictures taken.
Source: Reclusive Artist -
She also asks Gerard to give her his and his parents' photograph, but refuse to give her own photograph to him.
Source: Literature / The Ghost Writer - Similarly, if you refuse to give Ashgar's key back, the Cald village will not be very fond of you.
Source: Tabletop Game / Magi-Nation
Cite this Source
Refuse and Give. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/give/refuse
Give & Refuse. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/give/refuse>.
Refuse or Give. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/give/refuse.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "give" and "refuse" have occurred on timeline