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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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
Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 5 Aug. 2025
Vogue’s List of Best Strapless Dresses: One of the major dress trends to come out of 2025, this season’s strapless dresses are more refined and minimalist-friendly than your Y2K-era, bandage minis.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 4 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
Here, the Nike Air Max Muse signals a sharper, more refined turn.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 5 Aug. 2025
Vogue’s List of Best Strapless Dresses: One of the major dress trends to come out of 2025, this season’s strapless dresses are more refined and minimalist-friendly than your Y2K-era, bandage minis.
—Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 4 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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Ready to get cultured, but not sure where to start?—
Deborah Sengupta Stith,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
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Founder and creative director Salma Rachid has designed it for a cultured and cosmopolitan clientele.—
Joelle Diderich,
Footwear News,
10 July 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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The car’s elegant and understated design, creampuff ride, and regal comportment of occupants was—and remains— the reward of the Corniche experience.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
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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Very concentrated fruit, velvety tannins, and a long, exquisite finish.—
Liz Thach,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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More recently, in the cover story of last year’s March/April issue, Beyoncé wore an exquisite metal and floral bustier by Olivier Rousteing.—
Robyn Mowatt,
Essence,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Beyond complying with regulations, embedding traceability and life cycle data directly into products can enable leaders in the tech industry to drive smarter product development, more accurate forecasting and stronger supply chain and inventory management.—
Megan Brewster,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Even if the readings are accurate, blood sugar is only one metric, Kim said.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
Health,
7 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
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His hit tool, his ability to hit for average, is probably Collins’ most advanced skill.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
-
In addition, leading experts and Turing Award winners from the West and China share concerns that advanced general-purpose AI systems may come to operate outside of human control, posing catastrophic and existential risks.—
Brian Tse,
Time,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Refined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refined. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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