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

The Dining Room, set in the manor house at Quinta da Casa Branca, serves refined à la carte dishes and a tasting menu in a classic room with a terrace facing the gardens. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

Weather officials are urging residents to stay alert as forecasts are refined in the coming days. —Troy Bridges, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

The system learns from accidents and near-misses to continuously refine collision avoidance and driver assistance behavior. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026

China controls much of the global supply chain, including a near monopoly on much of the rare earths refining. —Jordan Blum, Fortune, 21 Jan. 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
• byline
• canine

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