refined; refining
1
: to free (something, such as metal, sugar, or oil) from impurities or unwanted material
2
: to free from moral imperfection : elevate
3
: to improve or perfect by pruning or polishing
refine a poetic style
4
: to reduce in vigor or intensity
5
: to free from what is coarse, vulgar, or uncouth
1
: to become pure or perfected
2
: to make improvement by introducing subtleties or distinctions
refiner
noun
Examples of refine in a Sentence
The inventor of the machine spent years refining the design.
The class is meant to help you refine your writing style.
Recent Examples on the Web
Committee Chair Rhodesia Ransom, D-Tracy, said the Local Government Committee was expected to continue refining the measure and would also work with State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant to address the hobby rocketry concerns.
—
Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Sanders has plenty of thoughts on refining the game in this day and age of the volatile transfer portal and lucrative name, image and likeness deals.
—ABC News, 15 June 2026
Data collected from reservoir operations, brine chemistry studies, and future process testing will be used to refine engineering designs and operating plans.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
In an era when major cruise lines usually build ships in recognizable classes, repeating and refining a successful design across several vessels, that alone makes Epic unusual.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for refine
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 16 June 2026
Sanders has plenty of thoughts on refining the game in this day and age of the volatile transfer portal and lucrative name, image and likeness deals.
—ABC News, 15 June 2026
Data collected from reservoir operations, brine chemistry studies, and future process testing will be used to refine engineering designs and operating plans.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
In an era when major cruise lines usually build ships in recognizable classes, repeating and refining a successful design across several vessels, that alone makes Epic unusual.
—David Nikel, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for refine
Cite this Entry
“Refine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refine. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
refine
verb
re·fine
ri-ˈfīn 
refined; refining
1
: to come or bring to a pure state
refine sugar
2
: to make or become improved
3
: to free from what is vulgar
4
: to improve by introducing something that makes a small difference
refined upon the older methods
refiner
noun
Medical Definition
refine
transitive verb
re·fine
ri-ˈfīn
refined; refining
: to free (as sugar or oil) from impurities or unwanted material
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