Definitions and Examples of disobey, refuse, deny
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
To refuse to follow a rule, order, or instruction.
Example
If you disobey the traffic laws, you may get a ticket or cause an accident.
To decline or reject an offer, request, or proposal.
Example
She refused to attend the party because she didn't like the host.
To declare that something is not true or that one did not do something.
Example
He denied stealing the money, but the evidence proved otherwise.
Key Differences: disobey vs refuse vs deny
- 1Disobey implies breaking a rule or order, while refuse and deny involve declining or rejecting something.
- 2Refuse involves declining an offer or request, while deny involves declaring that something is not true.
- 3Deny can also be used in legal contexts to mean refusing to grant or allow something.
Effective Usage of disobey, refuse, deny
- 1Legal Context: Use deny to describe a legal action of refusing to grant or allow something.
- 2Everyday Conversation: Use disobey to describe someone who breaks a rule or order, and use refuse to describe someone who declines an offer or request.
- 3Business Communication: Use oblige to describe doing something as a favor or courtesy, and use refuse to decline a request or proposal.
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Remember this!
The antonyms of oblige are disobey, refuse, and deny. These words convey the opposite meaning of oblige, which is to do something as a favor or courtesy. Use these words in different contexts to describe breaking a rule, declining an offer, or declaring something as untrue.
