refined 1 of 2

adjective

ri-ˈfīnd How to pronounce refined (audio)
Definition of refinednext
1
as in evolved
being far along in development a refined analysis of the factors that produce economic wealth in the new global economy

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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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refined

2 of 2

verb

past tense of refine
as in improved
to make better worked on refining her backhand before the big tennis match

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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 refined
Adjective
If refineries are forced to curtail throughput or shut down entirely due to high winds and power outages, production of refined products such as diesel and gasoline will be directly impaired. — CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 Protein-rich foods are digested more slowly than foods high in refined carbohydrates. — Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
Once your nails are cured and your technician has refined the shape with a nail file, the services are almost always finished off with oil and cream. — Lucy Abbersteen, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026 Targeting commercial siting Computational models refined in Canada will feed straight into the physical results gathered in Utah. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refined
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refined
  1. evolved
  2. pure
  3. cultured
  4. elegant
  5. subtle
  6. exquisite
  7. accurate
  8. improved
Adjective
  • Chandra spotted 84 suspicious object emitting very low-energy X-rays in six galaxies – four evolved ellipticals and two spirals, namely our near-neighbor the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and the Pinwheel Galaxy (M101).
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Dylan gives a subtle warning for Alex to stay away from Kylie, but Alex was still close to confessing his evolved feelings for her.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of evolved
Adjective
  • Sometimes, maybe once in every eight plays, the track scans as pure camp to me.
    — Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Reactions, however, ranged from pure fascination and respect for his 12-year project to critics questioning whether Tomlin, who parted ways with the Steelers in January of this year, had devoted too much time to his virtual city.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of pure
Adjective
  • Too obviously the gift of someone trying to seem casually cultured?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • As the war wound down, Olivier was becoming more obsessed with directing, often counting on Leigh as his cultured, measured adviser.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of cultured
Adjective
  • The elegant and spacious suites feature terraces with sun loungers and panoramic ocean views.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Working with the local firm Dvira Interiors, the owners turned the 12,000-square-foot residence into an elegant home that takes advantage of refined touches like ornate decorative moldings and brushed bronze and satin gold fixtures.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of elegant
Adjective
  • Poindexter featured his three daughters in his first campaign advertisement for the general election, taking a subtle dig at Miller.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Later still, we are introduced to Satoko Iijima (Ishida), who again shares many defining features with her two namesakes, albeit with just enough subtle differences to keep the audience on the back foot.
    — James Marsh, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of subtle
Adjective
  • Opposite the magnificent eighteenth-century Grand Théatre, the 150-room Regent Grand perfectly mirrors the aristocratic elegance of this lovely city, thanks to the exquisite interiors of designer Jacques Garcia.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026
  • While the food was exquisite, watching the green light blink in the distance was possibly my favorite part.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of exquisite
Adjective
  • Moreover, the company says automatic workout recognition is twice as accurate as before, with 50% fewer missed activities.
    — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Google says the new model means auto activity tracking is twice as accurate and supports over 100 activities.
    — Victoria Song, The Verge, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of accurate
Verb
  • Although the food situation has improved since last year’s famine, Israel continues to restrict humanitarian aid, allowing only a fraction of the daily 600 truckloads required in the cease-fire deal to enter the territory.
    — KHALED ELGINDY, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026
  • OpenAI also did not include full prompts or run-time details for how their agents uncovered the proofs, and officials admitted in a blog post about the results that citations and written descriptions of findings could be improved in future releases.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of improved

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Cite this Entry

“Refined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refined. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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