as in improving
to make better
worked on refining her backhand before the big tennis match
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Recent Examples of refining
That includes strengthening its internal culture, refining legal strategy, and maintaining clear standards around results and professional integrity.
—
Nia Bowers, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Monasteries, often centers of agricultural and culinary innovation, played a key role in refining pickling methods.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
That attention to detail separates casual cosplay from competition-level work, where participants often spend months or even years refining a single build.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
OpenAI has similarly indicated commitment to refining its approach, noting that the initial version of Instant Checkout lacked sufficient flexibility and that the company is focusing on improving product discovery features.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Jaguar has also spent that time refining its pitch and offering journalists a sneak peek at the car’s capabilities, including a trip to northern Sweden.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
Silver is often created as a byproduct of copper, lead, zinc and some gold through the process of mining, crushing and grinding ore and then refining it.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
China remains dominant across much of the battery-metal supply chain — from refining to production and cell manufacturing — and that scale gives Chinese producers the ability to exert downward pressure on prices.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Naturium and Soft Services also offer thoughtful blends that incorporate ingredients such as allantoin and glycerin to soothe and hydrate while refining the skin.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
Nia Bowers, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Monasteries, often centers of agricultural and culinary innovation, played a key role in refining pickling methods.
—Literary Hub, 31 Mar. 2026
That attention to detail separates casual cosplay from competition-level work, where participants often spend months or even years refining a single build.
—Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2026
OpenAI has similarly indicated commitment to refining its approach, noting that the initial version of Instant Checkout lacked sufficient flexibility and that the company is focusing on improving product discovery features.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
Jaguar has also spent that time refining its pitch and offering journalists a sneak peek at the car’s capabilities, including a trip to northern Sweden.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2026
Silver is often created as a byproduct of copper, lead, zinc and some gold through the process of mining, crushing and grinding ore and then refining it.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
China remains dominant across much of the battery-metal supply chain — from refining to production and cell manufacturing — and that scale gives Chinese producers the ability to exert downward pressure on prices.
—Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Naturium and Soft Services also offer thoughtful blends that incorporate ingredients such as allantoin and glycerin to soothe and hydrate while refining the skin.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refining
Verb
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In improving to 35-3, South Carolina’s 6-foot-3 All-American Joyce Edwards scored 24 points and had 12 rebounds, nine on the offensive glass in overwhelming TCU.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Small changes—from better moisturizing to improving your immediate workspace—can make a noticeable difference.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Applications will load faster and files will be easier to move, enhancing your workspeed.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
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Brine, a mixture of water and salt, proved effective at inhibiting spoilage while enhancing the flavor of food.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Refining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refining. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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