refined; refining
1
: to free (something, such as metal, sugar, or oil) from impurities or unwanted material
2
: to free from moral imperfection : elevate
3
: to improve or perfect by pruning or polishing
refine a poetic style
4
: to reduce in vigor or intensity
5
: to free from what is coarse, vulgar, or uncouth
1
: to become pure or perfected
2
: to make improvement by introducing subtleties or distinctions
refiner
noun
Synonyms
Examples of refine in a Sentence
The inventor of the machine spent years refining the design.
The class is meant to help you refine your writing style.
Recent Examples on the Web
The researchers plan to refine their algorithm to better differentiate between the drivers of mangrove change, such as extreme weather, rising sea levels or human activity.
—
Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Driving Continuous Improvement By continuously learning from new data and adapting to changing conditions, AI helps maintenance teams refine their operations over time, ensuring their practices remain effective and aligned.
—Michael Amori, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
The researchers refined the robot’s wing design from past versions with a new geometry that Qing says achieved a better overall balance of speed and efficiency.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024
These pore strips are meant to be used for at least four hours (or overnight) so that the ingredients sink and refine the appearance of pores long after peeling them off.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for refine 
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Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Driving Continuous Improvement By continuously learning from new data and adapting to changing conditions, AI helps maintenance teams refine their operations over time, ensuring their practices remain effective and aligned.
—Michael Amori, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
The researchers refined the robot’s wing design from past versions with a new geometry that Qing says achieved a better overall balance of speed and efficiency.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 4 Dec. 2024
These pore strips are meant to be used for at least four hours (or overnight) so that the ingredients sink and refine the appearance of pores long after peeling them off.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for refine
Dictionary Entries Near refine
Cite this Entry
“Refine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refine. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
refine
verb
re·fine
ri-ˈfīn 
refined; refining
1
: to come or bring to a pure state
refine sugar
2
: to make or become improved
3
: to free from what is vulgar
4
: to improve by introducing something that makes a small difference
refined upon the older methods
refiner
noun
Medical Definition
refine
transitive verb
re·fine
ri-ˈfīn
refined; refining
: to free (as sugar or oil) from impurities or unwanted material
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