Where are you from? I'm en-gb native and refuse doesn't rhyme with refuge.

Ref-use: ref as in referee, use as in noose, or loose.

But then in en-gb we'd say "waste" or maybe "rubbish".

In en-US, refuse (verb) is pronounced reh-fuse ("I refuse to do that."), while refuse (noun) is pronounced ref-use ("This refuse must be disposed of.") The accent switches syllables.

Pretty sure they meant a "slant rhyme", the stress and first syllable of refuse (n.) and refuge are the same.

In the US we say ref as in referee, use as in news or lose, fwiw.

I'm en-us. It doesn't rhyme because they end with different consonants, but I pronounce 'refuse' exactly like 'refuge' (obviously changing the soft G sound to an S sound).

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24318964

I'm en-gb native too and it checks out here.

Ref-oos? TIL.

Much appreciated!