The term 'refuse to approve' can be summarized by two crossword solutions: VETO and DENY. VETO is a Latin word meaning 'I forbid, ' and it is used to describe the power of a government official or leader to reject a proposed law or decision. DENY, on the other hand, means to refuse to accept or acknowledge something as true or valid. Both words are used to describe a situation in which someone refuses to approve something.