refinement
noun
re·fine·ment
ri-ˈfīn-mənt 
1
: the action or process of refining
2
: the quality or state of being refined : cultivation
3
a
: a refined feature or method
b
: a highly refined distinction : subtlety
c
: a contrivance or device intended to improve or perfect
Examples of refinement in a Sentence
the recent refinements in this area of medical technology
had a sense of refinement that her small hometown couldn't satisfy, so she moved to New York City to be closer to great museums and concert halls
Recent Examples on the Web
Continuous Monitoring And Feedback Loops: Establishing systems for continuous monitoring of model performance and actively soliciting user feedback, creating a cycle of ongoing refinement and improvement.
—
Miles Ward, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
The era of foldables has allowed Motorola to resurrect the Razr in an appropriately flexible form, and after a few generations of refinement, the 2025 Razrs are spectacular pieces of hardware.
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2025
In a follow-up paper, the team made a further refinement (opens a new tab), leading to an overall runtime proportional to m times the fourth root of n.
Over the summer, the group began to collaborate with Assadi and a new team member, Soheil Behnezhad (opens a new tab) of Northeastern University.
—Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 12 May 2025
Over the next three decades, Washington’s complacency and Beijing’s strategic ambition to dominate the full supply chain for critical minerals and rare-earth elements gave China a global mining footprint and a near monopoly in the refinement and processing of those materials.
—Heidi Crebo-Rediker, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for refinement
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Miles Ward, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
The era of foldables has allowed Motorola to resurrect the Razr in an appropriately flexible form, and after a few generations of refinement, the 2025 Razrs are spectacular pieces of hardware.
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2025
In a follow-up paper, the team made a further refinement (opens a new tab), leading to an overall runtime proportional to m times the fourth root of n.
Over the summer, the group began to collaborate with Assadi and a new team member, Soheil Behnezhad (opens a new tab) of Northeastern University.
—Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 12 May 2025
Over the next three decades, Washington’s complacency and Beijing’s strategic ambition to dominate the full supply chain for critical minerals and rare-earth elements gave China a global mining footprint and a near monopoly in the refinement and processing of those materials.
—Heidi Crebo-Rediker, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for refinement
Cite this Entry
“Refinement.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refinement. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
refinement
noun
re·fine·ment
ri-ˈfīn-mənt
1
: the action or process of refining
2
: the state of being refined : cultivation
3
a
: something that has been refined
refinements in dress and behavior
b
: something intended to improve or refine
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