refinish

verb

re·​fin·​ish (ˌ)rē-ˈfi-nish 

refinished; refinishing; refinishes

transitive verb

: to give a new surface to

refinish furniture

intransitive verb

: to refinish furniture

refinisher noun

Examples of refinish in a Sentence

She made her living repairing and refinishing wood floors.

Recent Examples on the Web

Because laminates use a photographic layer adhered to the core, that layer can’t be refinished in cases of damage, unlike floors like solid or engineered hardwood, which can be refinished to give a longer lifespan. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 31 July 2026

So, to make a piece feel fresh and ready to display, Jenkins focuses on refinishing items after thrifting. — Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 29 July 2026

Instead of spending thousands replacing floors or refinishing woodwork, the couple redirected that budget toward updates that had a much bigger visual impact. — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026

Regarding the 42% increase in Thumbtack survey respondents getting their cabinets refinished or repaired, Valente says updating cabinets is one the simplest ways to elevate your kitchen on a budget. — Terri Williams, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for refinish

• diminish
• finish
• finnish
• minish

Kids Definition

refinish

verb

re·​fin·​ish (ˈ)rē-ˈfin-ish 

: to give (as furniture) a new surface

refinisher noun