overrefined

adjective

Definition of overrefinednext
1
as in precious

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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
  • The study of a patient’s urine was an extremely popular practice in the Middle Ages, even though doctors could tell precious little about what was ailing someone just by looking at a sample in a jar.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Carlsbad and other coastal cities south of Oceanside worry that any plan to keep sand on the shoreline north of them would prevent the precious grains of grit from migrating south in ocean currents to land on their own eroding beaches.
    — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of precious
Adjective
  • Democratic lawmakers demand investigations and an oversight visit, alleging dangerous conditions and poor treatment aboard the Lincoln, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismisses the reports as exaggerated and misrepresented.
    — Konstantin Toropin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The investigation determined the information provided was inaccurate or exaggerated and dismissed it in May, according to a letter the state Department of Education sent to the college.
    — Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of exaggerated
Adjective
  • 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
  • The reality is slightly less cute but certainly just as important.
    — Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Lunchbox notes Top off your packed lunch with a cute and funny lunchbox note.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 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
  • The city feels theatrical and alive, with open-air theaters, cinemas, and a vibrant arts scene that spills into its streets.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • But, just like any live theatrical event, even their best attempts at pre-planning were no match for reality and a lot of improvisation had to be done on the spot.
    — Whitney Friedlander, Variety, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of theatrical
Adjective
  • Or when some man behaving like a degenerate gambler plods into Chelsea Gray’s DMs with a disgusting slur.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 July 2026
  • Populist theatrics, divorced from the prosaic work of consensus-building and problem-solving, degenerate into political escapism.
    — Will Marshall, Washington Post, 18 July 2026
Definition of degenerate
Adjective
  • Astronomers have discovered an unusually massive, dense exoplanet that challenges conventional ideas about how rocky planets form.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Amentum and Laing O’Rourke will therefore join a project extending beyond conventional shipyard construction.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of conventional

Browse Nearby Words

overreaching
overrefined
overridden
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Cite this Entry

“Overrefined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overrefined. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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