1
as in evolved
being far along in development
a refined analysis of the factors that produce economic wealth in the new global economy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pure
free from added matter
refined gold
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3
as in cultured
having or showing a taste for the fine arts and gracious living
a refined couple who have hosted many elegant benefits for organizations promoting the arts
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4
as in elegant
having or showing elegance
a refined woman with gracious manners
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5
as in subtle
made or done with extreme care and accuracy
the dressmaker took a set of quite refined measurements before actually starting work
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6
as in exquisite
satisfying or pleasing because of fineness or mildness
the chef's refined cuisine is one that true gourmets will appreciate
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7
as in accurate
meeting the highest standard of accuracy
this is not a refined calculation of the total number of calories in the dish—just a rough estimate
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as in improved
to make better
worked on refining her backhand before the big tennis match
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of refined
Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
And this one looks better too, taking the refined design formula of Toyota’s core electric SUV, the bZ, and shortening its wheelbase for a sportier stance.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 18 Feb. 2026
Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
The price rise, however, comes as the price per barrel of crude oil — from which home heating oil is refined — is down more than 40% from its most recent peak in June, 2022, according to Yahoo!
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for refined
Adjective
The restaurant opened in December and has built a buzz behind its refined Italian-American food.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
And this one looks better too, taking the refined design formula of Toyota’s core electric SUV, the bZ, and shortening its wheelbase for a sportier stance.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
Think whole-grain bread instead of refined, or bean spreads in place of mayo.
—Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 16 Feb. 2026
The price rise, however, comes as the price per barrel of crude oil — from which home heating oil is refined — is down more than 40% from its most recent peak in June, 2022, according to Yahoo!
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for refined
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refined
Adjective
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In the last century, scientists have found bountiful evidence of complexity and engineering in living systems that seems highly unlikely to have emerged from a world of evolved necessity.—
Andrew McDiarmid,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
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In all cases there is a responsibility to accept a certain degree of uncertainty, evolved thinking, and risk.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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California lifestyle If the architecture and location are pure aspirational California living, the Instagram campaign is something else entirely.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
21 Feb. 2026
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And in one of Fennell’s wildest edits, pure-hearted girl next door Isabella Linton (Alison Oliver) becomes a scary-horny savant à la Emma Stone in Poor Things, with a fabulous voodoo dollhouse and a questionably consensual taste for S&M.—
Anna Gaca,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The worm cytoplasm, measurements showed, was around 50 times more crowded with ribosomes than that of Holt’s cultured cells.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
18 Feb. 2026
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Why Cultured Butter Makes Better Buttered Pasta Unlike American-style butter, which is typically made with sweet cream for a mild, somewhat neutral flavor profile, cultured butter is created from cream that's been fermented before churning.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Come evening, the space becomes an elegant bar, pouring a shortlist of signature cocktails inspired by the neighborhood.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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On the contrary, a living room is a formal room, classically appointed with elegant furnishings—and there’s rarely a television in sight.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Two brands – one, Diotima, led by female designer Rachel Scott, and the other, Eckhaus Latta, by Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta – showed a subtler way to get fashion audiences thinking.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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The muted denim blue creates a subtle pop of color, and the large medallion pattern in the center is distressed for an antique feel.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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How inspiring for our young learners to see, in looking at Joe McKendry’s exquisite tableau, faces that reflect their own.—
The Atlantic,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
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Barbados The easternmost Caribbean island, Barbados boasts more than 80 white-sand beaches (plus the exquisite pink-sand Crane Beach).—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While accurate, these systems aren't perfect.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Knights improved to 2-0 in their pool games and earned the right to move on to the next round.—
Dan Rios,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Pitchbook’s Zabelin said the company is valued at more than $10 billion, adding that Mercor and its competitors’ high values show investors think services like human feedback and expert testing of AI models are becoming a permanent and essential part of how AI systems are built and improved.—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Refined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refined. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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