refinery

noun

re·​fin·​ery ri-ˈfī-nə-rē How to pronounce refinery (audio)
-ˈfīn-rē
plural refineries
: a building and equipment for refining or processing something (such as oil or sugar)

Examples of refinery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But companies also fear retaliation against exports, higher costs for Canadian crude used in Midwest refineries, and higher costs for steel and other project inputs. Ben Geman, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025 Irving's 320,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, exports more than half its finished fuels to the Northeast, the company's website shows. Nicole Jao, USA TODAY, 5 Mar. 2025 Large gold bars are also being pulled out of London to other refineries around the world where they can be melted and refined into kilobars, because the standard bullion stored in London are 400-ounce bars rather than kilobars. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025 Aerial view of the Pine Bend oil refinery in Rosemount, Minnesota. Kyle Younker, WIRED, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for refinery

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of refinery was circa 1741

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Cite this Entry

“Refinery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refinery. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

refinery

noun
re·​fin·​ery ri-ˈfīn-(ə-)rē How to pronounce refinery (audio)
plural refineries
: a building and equipment for refining metals, oil, or sugar

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