refined

adjective

re·​fined ri-ˈfīnd 

1

: free from impurities

2

: fastidious, cultivated

3

: precise, exact

a refined test for radioactivity

Synonyms

• advanced
• developed
• evolved
• forward
• high
• higher
• improved
• late
• progressive

Examples of refined in a Sentence

She has become more refined in her painting technique.

He has very refined manners.

refined and elegant works of art

Recent Examples on the Web

Look at how some firms in biotech are exploring next-generation solutions that move beyond early experimental compounds toward more refined, scalable technologies. —Natalie Dolphin, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Hess, in his earlier films, displayed a refined sense of comic timing, of scenes that hold long enough and are framed cannily enough to convey a sense of wondrous observation. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025

The Todd Snyder x Bon Iver Luxe Ribbed Beanie – $138 – also crafted from Nomad yarn in a half-cardigan stitch and four-point finish for a refined texture. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 9 Apr. 2025

Superior Rooms sport the same look and feel as the top suites, each dressed in refined tones of wooden beige, walnut, grey, and mineral blue. —Travis Levius, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1582, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for refined

• countersigned
• disinclined
• humankind
• interlined
• intertwined
• mastermind
• misaligned
• nonaligned
• predefined
• realigned
• reassigned
• recombined

Kids Definition

refined

adjective

re·​fined

ri-ˈfīnd

1

: socially well-trained : well-bred, cultivated

very refined manners

2

: freed from impurities : pure

refined sugar

3

: carried to a fine point : subtle

refined measurements