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
These advancements open exciting new doors for rapid prototyping and visual storytelling, allowing artists and developers to ideate, visualize, and refine gameplay experiences at a faster pace and with greater scale.
—
Jennifer Maas, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
Noah's sister-in-law Esther (Jackie Tohn), the Jewish character portrayed most insultingly last year, has thankfully been softened and refined, and has somehow become the lone voice of reason amongst a group of immature idiots.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Amazon is currently trialing the glasses with delivery drivers in North America and plans to refine the technology before a wider rollout.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
Each layer and appliqué was placed to follow the body softly; never heavy, always refined.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for refine
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jennifer Maas, Variety, 23 Oct. 2025
Noah's sister-in-law Esther (Jackie Tohn), the Jewish character portrayed most insultingly last year, has thankfully been softened and refined, and has somehow become the lone voice of reason amongst a group of immature idiots.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
Amazon is currently trialing the glasses with delivery drivers in North America and plans to refine the technology before a wider rollout.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
Each layer and appliqué was placed to follow the body softly; never heavy, always refined.
—Shelby Wax, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for refine
Cite this Entry
“Refine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refine. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share