refine

verb

re·​fine ri-ˈfīn 

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

Synonyms of refine

• improve
• enhance

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

IonQ attributes this feat to its dual decoder architecture, where the first decoder extracts the initial syndrome measurements while the second decoder corrects the residual errors after refining the intermediate representation. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026

Founded in 2022, The Alloy Market makes money by either refining unusable materials and taking a cut, or by listing usable items on their online resale marketplace. — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026

That perspective helps uncover unmet needs, refine products, strengthen messaging and drive decisions based on a deeper understanding of audiences. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

In standard reality competitions, performers get to plan, practice, and refine their acts, showcasing their strongest skills. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for refine

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• brucine
• byline

Kids 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