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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2025
Underpinned by a focus on control over chaos, the former Barcelona and Spain head coach has made PSG less reliant on moments of individual brilliance and more refined as a collective unit.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
The eatery was casual enough to make the parents of a toddler (and the toddler herself) feel comfortable, while the cuisine was still refined.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for refined
Adjective
Linen Patch Pocket Wide-leg Pants These wide-leg trousers are slightly more refined than the run-of-the-mill linen pants, thanks to the button closure, patch pockets, and wide-leg silhouette.
—Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 13 Aug. 2025
Underpinned by a focus on control over chaos, the former Barcelona and Spain head coach has made PSG less reliant on moments of individual brilliance and more refined as a collective unit.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
Something so refined that every detail contributes to the sense of a whole—in hindsight, only the Lexus LX 600 comes to mind as somewhat similar in the unique embodiment of overall quality.
—Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
The eatery was casual enough to make the parents of a toddler (and the toddler herself) feel comfortable, while the cuisine was still refined.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for refined
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refined
Adjective
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Adeleye was outclassed from a pure boxing standpoint, but his heart was on display.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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The shot was clean with a bold recovery, just like a pure Mickelson moment.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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His mother was one of the most cultured people like ever in American social history.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
16 Aug. 2025
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Today’s buyers are in line with the financiers and cultured trust-funders the building has always preferred.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Suddenly, a classic white T-shirt and jeans combo has become dynamic, interesting, and highly elegant.—
Paulina Berges,
Glamour,
16 Aug. 2025
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Clad in stainless steel, the hall’s sweeping concave and convex forms are at once a frothy and elegant statement on Grand Avenue.—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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There's a subtle but powerful form of manipulation happening in AI companions.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
-
The spawn, which typically takes place over a few days and lasts less than 20 minutes, is triggered by subtle environmental cues — moon phase, tides and water temperatures — that healthy reefs once responded to in consistent synchronization.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Guests stay in one of 26 private rooms that showcase the property’s exquisite original architectural details.—
Roger Sands,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
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Harber London Professional Leather Desk Mat for $193: Despite more than a year of use, this Harber London leather desk mat still looks exquisite.—
Henri Robbins,
Wired News,
18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
23 Aug. 2025
-
A little over half of the participants projected Houston’s offensive efficiency to be in the middle third of the league, which seems like an accurate prediction.—
Kelly Iko,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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With Friday’s victory, the Heat improved to 9-20 this season against teams currently with a winning record.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
1 Mar. 2025
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In reading, both fourth and eighth graders’ results are down from 2022, while in math, fourth-grade scores have not improved since before the pandemic and eighth-grade scores are at their lowest in decades.—
Thibaut Delloue,
Orlando Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Europe's Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket launched for the third time ever tonight (Aug. 12), sending an advanced weather and climate satellite to orbit.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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Negotiations were very advanced in Williams’ case, but talks fell apart at the very last minute due to the Athletic Club player’s concerns about Barca’s capacity to actually register him.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Refined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refined. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
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