The difference between Refuse and Reject

When used as nouns, refuse means collectively, items or material that have been discarded, whereas reject means something that is rejected.

When used as verbs, refuse means to decline (a request or demand), whereas reject means to refuse to accept.

Refuse is also adjective with the meaning: discarded, rejected.

check bellow for the other definitions of Refuse and Reject

  1. Refuse as an adjective:

    Discarded, rejected.

  1. Refuse as a noun:

    Collectively, items or material that have been discarded; rubbish, garbage.

  1. Refuse as a verb (transitive):

    To decline (a request or demand).

    Examples:

    "My request for a pay rise was refused."

  2. Refuse as a verb (intransitive):

    To decline a request or demand, forbear; to withhold permission.

    Examples:

    "I refuse to listen to this nonsense any more."

    "I asked the star if I could have her autograph, but she refused."

  3. Refuse as a verb (military):

    To throw back, or cause to keep back (as the centre, a wing, or a flank), out of the regular alignment when troops are about to engage the enemy.

    Examples:

    "to refuse the right wing while the left wing attacks"

  4. Refuse as a verb (obsolete, transitive):

    To disown.

  1. Refuse as a noun (obsolete):

    refusal

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Fairfax"

  1. Refuse as a verb:

    To melt again.

  1. Reject as a verb (transitive):

    To refuse to accept.

    Examples:

    "She even rejected my improved offer."

  2. Reject as a verb (basketball):

    To block a shot, especially if it sends the ball off the court.

  3. Reject as a verb:

    To refuse a romantic advance.

    Examples:

    "I've been rejected three times this week."

  1. Reject as a noun:

    Something that is rejected.

  2. Reject as a noun (derogatory, _, slang):

    An unpopular person.

  3. Reject as a noun (colloquial):

    a rejected defective product in a production line

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