refine

play

verb re·fine \ ri-ˈfīn \

Definition of refine

refined; refining

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

1 :to become pure or perfected

2 :to make improvement by introducing subtleties or distinctions

—

refiner

noun

See refine defined for English-language learners

See refine defined for kids

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 of refine from the Web

The room is at once relaxed and refined, a mix of wabi-sabi décor, mismatched furniture, and expensive cutlery and stemware.

— Condé Nast Traveler, "Brawn," 25 Aug. 2017
The detailed tactics and operations that will flesh out the concept are being refined daily, but in general distributive lethality seeks to widely disperse warships to put a potential enemy at risk of destruction from many different vessels.

— carl prine, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Navy's surface warfare boss urges smarter, tougher sailors for future sea battles," 15 Aug. 2017
The hope, of course, is that this pressure will prompt Pyongyang to rethink its efforts to expand and refine its long-range missile capabilities.

— chicagotribune.com, "Analysis: Donald Trump is defining successful foreign policy down," 8 Aug. 2017
What started as a fad diet is now a full-blown lifestyle free from grains, most dairy, beans and legumes, sugar, and refined and processed foods.

— bon appétit, Bon Appetit, "40+ Paleo Recipes That Aren't Just Steak," 8 Aug. 2017
After refining his invention, Johnson spent most of the 80s unsuccessfully trying to find a manufacturer to get his water gun into the hands of children.

— ben panko, Smithsonian, "Ex-NASA Engineer Builds World’s Largest Super Soaker," 15 July 2017
A number of trustees had questions and suggestions leading to the likelihood the ordinance will be refined.

— steve sadin, chicagotribune.com, "Deerfield ordinance seeks to address light disputes between neighbors," 10 July 2017
Growing up in Piscataway, Jenkins never had the chance to attend the pro camps that many young athletes use to refine their game.

— julia b. poe, Philly.com, "Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins returns home to Piscataway to give back," 3 July 2017
The optional plug-in hybrid model is similarly refined and provides fuel-saving electric-only operation in addition to the Pacifica’s solid all-around road manners.

— drew dorian, Car and Driver, "2017 Chrysler Pacifica," 30 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'refine.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of refine

1582

refine Synonyms

Synonyms

ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, help, meliorate, perfect, improve, upgrade

Antonyms

worsen

Related Words

correct, emend, rectify, reform, remediate, remedy; edit, fine-tune, redraft, refurbish, rehab, rehabilitate, revamp, revise, rework; beef (up), boost, fortify, intensify, reinforce (also reenforce), strengthen; fine, hone, polish; retouch, touch up

Near Antonyms

damage, endamage, harm, hurt, impair, injure, spoil, tarnish, vitiate; blemish, blight, deface, disfigure, flaw, mar; diminish, lessen, lower, reduce

REFINE Defined for English Language Learners

refine

play

verb

Definition of refine for English Language Learners

: to remove the unwanted substances in (something)
: to improve (something) by making small changes

REFINE Defined for Kids

refine

play

verb re·fine \ ri-ˈfīn \

Definition of refine for Students

refined; refining

1 :to bring to a pure state

refine sugar

2 :to make better :improve

He's refining his recipe.

Medical Dictionary

refine

play

transitive verb re·fine \ ri-ˈfīn \

medical Definition of refine

refined; refining

:to free (as sugar or oil) from impurities or unwanted material

Learn More about refine

See words that rhyme with refine Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for refine Spanish Central: Translation of refine Nglish: Translation of refine for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of refine for Arabic speakers

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refine

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refiner

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Examples of refine in a Sentence

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First Known Use of refine

refine Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

REFINE Defined for English Language Learners

refine

Definition of refine for English Language Learners

REFINE Defined for Kids

refine

Definition of refine for Students

Medical Dictionary

refine

medical Definition of refine

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