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
The plumping, dewy effect comes from hyaluronic acid, while niacinamide helps even out tone and refine texture.
—
Lily Wohlner, Allure, 28 Jan. 2026
Crowdfunding also gives founders a chance to refine their message, understand customer expectations, and adjust their product before investing heavily in production.
—William Jones, AZCentral.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Data from such a setup could be used to refine simulations, reduce uncertainties in fission yield databases, and test assumptions used in weapons physics models.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
But for African governments, the central challenge is realizing ambitions to move beyond only exporting raw minerals to processing and refining them, too.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for refine
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Lily Wohlner, Allure, 28 Jan. 2026
Crowdfunding also gives founders a chance to refine their message, understand customer expectations, and adjust their product before investing heavily in production.
—William Jones, AZCentral.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Data from such a setup could be used to refine simulations, reduce uncertainties in fission yield databases, and test assumptions used in weapons physics models.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
But for African governments, the central challenge is realizing ambitions to move beyond only exporting raw minerals to processing and refining them, too.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for refine
Cite this Entry
“Refine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refine. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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
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