refinance

verb

re·​fi·​nance ˌrē-fə-ˈnan(t)s  (ˌ)rē-ˈfī-ˌnan(t)s 

ˌrē-(ˌ)fī-ˈnan(t)s

refinanced; refinancing; refinances

transitive + intransitive

: to renew or reorganize the financing of something : to provide for (an outstanding indebtedness) by making or obtaining another loan or a larger loan on fresh terms

refinance a mortgage

With rates tumbling, pay a little more now and retain the flexibility to refinance again next year.

—Daniel Kadlec

Examples of refinance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The group agreed to refinance Esnard's merchant cash advances, turning his debt into a traditional five-year loan with a manageable interest rate. —Scott Horsley, NPR, 9 Feb. 2026

HannamariaH/Getty Images This February could be a smart time for homebuyers and owners hoping to refinance to explore their mortgage rate options. —Matt Richardson, CBS News, 9 Feb. 2026

Membership in this club is exclusive to those who bought or refinanced during a specific historic window. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Feb. 2026

Court records state Kalifa was able to refinance, and BOK was repaid in full. —Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for refinance

• circumstance
• exceedance
• happenstance
• advance
• askance
• enhance
• expanse
• finance
• freelance
• mischance
• perchance
• romance

Legal Definition

refinance

1 of 2 transitive verb

re·​fi·​nance ˌrē-fə-ˈnans, -ˈfī-ˌnans 

1

: to renew or reorganize the financing of

2

: to revise the terms of (a debt obligation) especially in regard to interest rate or payment schedule

refinance a mortgage

intransitive verb

: to finance something anew

refinance

2 of 2 noun

: a financing of something anew

especially : a revision of the terms of a debt obligation (as a mortgage)