refusing

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But so much of American public discourse, over the last decade or so, has involved refusing to “observe the observable,” in Joan Didion’s famous phrase.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026

Living in separate homes, acting as if your house is a teenage crash pad and refusing to make any changes to his habits treats you like girlfriend/boyfriend rather than husband/wife.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026

She called the network’s decision to allow her contract to expire “a deliberate choice to penalize a journalist for refusing to sanitize factually accurate reporting” that “sends a chilling message to the entire newsroom.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026

Cherry claimed her colleagues on the finance and audit committee found that Murrell was "refusing to show them the books", while questions asked by the national executive committee were met with a "brick wall".

From BBC • May 26, 2026

As I stood, I thought about refusing, maybe playing up my injuries until I could figure things out, but I quickly dismissed that option.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia