refuse和decline作動詞都有“拒絕”的意思。但refuse指堅決地拒絕，通常通過行動來表示或通過言辭來表達，語氣比decline強。decline指有禮貌的拒絕，婉言謝絕，通常是用言辭來表達。

（1）She refused to go there alone.

她拒絕一個人到那里去。

（2）She asked him to come with her, but he refused.

她叫他一起來，但是他拒絕了。

（3）He refused a second cup of coffee.

他謝絕了第二杯咖啡。

（4）The suggestion seems too good to refuse/turn down.

這個建議太好了，讓人難以拒絕。

（1）My wife declined Mrs. Green's invitation to dinner.

我夫人謝絕了格林太太的晚宴邀請。

（2）Poor as he was, Mr. Brown declined a large sum of money from the charity.

布朗先生雖然很窮，卻謝絕了慈悲團體的一大筆捐款。

（2）We agreed to offer him a lift but he declined.

我們同意讓他搭車，但是他卻謝絕了。