refined

[ri-fahynd]

adjective

1. having or showing well-bred feeling, taste, etc..

   refined people.

   Synonyms: elegant, genteel, courtly, civilized, courteous, polite, polished, cultivated
   Antonyms: crude, coarse, rude

2. freed or free from coarseness, vulgarity, etc..

   refined taste.

3. freed from impurities.

   refined sugar.

   Synonyms: distilled

4. very subtle, precise, or exact.

   refined distinctions.

refined

/ rɪˈfaɪnd /

adjective

1. not coarse or vulgar; genteel, elegant, or polite

2. subtle; discriminating

3. freed from impurities; purified

Other Word Forms

• refinedly adverb
• refinedness noun
• half-refined adjective
• nonrefined adjective
• quasi-refined adjective
• semirefined adjective
• superrefined adjective
• ultrarefined adjective
• well-refined adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of refined¹

First recorded in 1565–75; refine + -ed ²

Example Sentences

He also credits the album’s swift completion to working with music producer James Ford, who previously refined tracks for a seemingly endless list of artists.

From Los Angeles Times

But that short-term testing alone won’t be enough to nail down a more refined estimate of the retrofit cost, the county CEO’s office said.

From Los Angeles Times

The years away from making new music and the experiences of life, both joyful and scarring, have refined her voice like a barrel-aged wine.

From Los Angeles Times

In 500 years, fantasy California-style has been refined and marketed to a fare-thee-well, so much so that tourism is the second-biggest moneymaker in both places.

From Los Angeles Times

It wasn’t refined, but it was exuberant, which is honestly the energy I’d love to bring to weeknight cooking.

From Salon

Related Words

• classy 
• cultivated 
• delicate 
• discriminating 
• elegant 
• genteel 
• polished 
• precise 
• sophisticated 
• subtle 
• tasteful 
• urbane