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Refuse to do something

Refusing to do something

Sometimes people ask us to do things and we don't want to do them. Here are ten phrases to refuse.

    

  1. No way.
    2. 

  2. Absolutely not.
    3. 

  3. No Chance.
    4. 

  4. Not even if you paid me.
    5. 

  5. Get lost.
    6. 

  6. No, full stop.
    7. 

  7. Not likely.
    8. 

  8. I don't want to.
    9. 

  9. I'd rather not.
    10. 

  10. No, but thanks for asking.
    11.

Explanations

  • Phrases 1, 2 and 3 are strong refusals.
  • Phrase 4 is also a strong refusal and suggests that money will not change the speaker's mind.
  • Phrase 5 is very informal and quite dismissive.
  • Phrase 6 is used to say that the refusal is final and no more discussion will take place.
  • Phrases 7 and 8 are not as final as phrase 6, but it is quite likely that the speaker will not change their mind.
  • Phrases 9 and 10 are quite polite ways of refusing.
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