How To Pronounce Refuse

The stress in refuse moves depending on how the word is used.

Noun. It is /ˈref.juːs/ in British English and /ˈref.juːs/ in American English with the main stress on the first syllable, as in “household refuse”.

Verb. It is /rɪˈfjuːz/ in British English and /rɪˈfjuːz/ in American English with the main stress on the second syllable, as in “to refuse”.

Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.