overrefined

adjective

Definition of overrefinednext
1
as in precious

Related Words

Relevance
2
as in exaggerated

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of overrefined Jenkins’s overrefined sense of black history — a pageant of fabulous nightmares — is the real extravagance in The Underground Railroad. — Armond White, National Review, 12 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overrefined
  1. precious
  2. exaggerated
  3. failing
  4. cute
  5. dying
  6. theatrical
  7. degenerate
  8. conventional
Adjective
  • These days, the jeweler is as much a designer as a diamond destination, with collections that give the precious stones a little personality.
    — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Non yield bearing precious metals such as gold and silver simultaneously traded down, while the US Dollar Index touched an 18 month high during intraday trading.
    — , CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of precious
Adjective
  • While her sculptural dress commanded attention with its plunging neckline and exaggerated peplum waist, her shoes provided a sleek, minimalist finish that tied the entire look together.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • While there are men who have been affected — George Brett Olson has been one vocal example — the majority affected seem to be women, whose likenesses are often exaggerated or distorted for the purposes of sexualization.
    — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of exaggerated
Adjective
  • The World Bank, International Monetary Fund and International Criminal Court, which all got failing grades in last year's survey, saw the biggest gains.
    — Andrea Shalal, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.
    — Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Jan. 2026
Definition of failing
Adjective
  • Henry makes a cute joke about Arch’s wife; Arch weeps due to the hardships of war.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Someone tells you that the rats are actually cute, what’s your honest response?
    — Zach Schiffman, Curbed, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • What’s the vibe for you, post-dying?
    — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of dying
Adjective
  • An example is Dogwood, which grew from a theatrical distributor to becoming a full-service company, releasing in UK theaters NAZA, the Gaza documentary film from Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Its theatrical identity takes cues from the neighboring Hanoi Opera House.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of theatrical
Adjective
  • In Parkinson’s disease, neurons producing a chemical messenger called dopamine degenerate, and the dopamine itself cannot cross from the bloodstream into the brain.
    — Mallory Green, The Conversation, 8 Oct. 2026
  • When the discs degenerate, vertebrae lose the spongy buffer between bones, resulting in pain.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of degenerate
Adjective
  • Compared to conventional microscopes, the Airscope offers a complete upgrade in neural imaging.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Grid current passes through silicon carbide transistors that switch at high frequency before sending it through a small conventional transformer, preserving the essential electrical isolation between the grid and everything downstream.
    — Alex Pasternack, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of conventional

Browse Nearby Words

overreaching
overrefined
overridden
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overrefined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrefined. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of puissant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All