refinery

noun

re·​fin·​ery ri-ˈfī-nə-rē 

-ˈfīn-rē

plural refineries

: a building and equipment for refining or processing something (such as oil or sugar)

Examples of refinery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Ukrainian defense company Fire Point -- which produces drones and cruise missiles -- said in a post to Telegram that its munitions were used to attack both the Wildberries facility in Tambov and the oil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod. — David Brennan, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026

The move follows months of Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries and logistics hubs that have disrupted fuel supplies and online commerce, deepening economic strain and public frustration as Russia’s war enters its fifth year. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

The Bay Area Air District on Tuesday released a preliminary health risk assessment of the refinery's emissions to determine if the facility's health risks to workers and nearby residents are at or below risk action levels. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

The Treasury Department has sanctioned such independent Chinese refineries, but in May, Beijing ordered its companies to ignore the restrictions. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for refinery

• binary
• finery
• winery

Kids Definition

refinery

noun

re·​fin·​ery ri-ˈfīn-(ə-)rē 

plural refineries

: a building and equipment for refining metals, oil, or sugar