refresh
Americanverb (used with object)
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to provide new vigor and energy by rest, food, etc. (often used reflexively).
- Synonyms:
- revive
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to stimulate (the memory).
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to make fresh again; reinvigorate or cheer (a person, the mind, spirits, etc.).
- Antonyms:
- discourage, dispirit
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to freshen in appearance, color, etc., as by a restorative.
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Computers.
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to access (the most recent version of a web page) from the internet instead of from the cache.
I refreshed the page to see the current stock price before executing my online trade.
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to display (an image) repeatedly, as on a CRT, in order to prevent fading.
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to read and write (the contents of dynamic storage) at intervals in order to avoid loss of data.
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verb (used without object)
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to take refreshment, especially food or drink.
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to become fresh or vigorous again; revive.
verb
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(usually tr or reflexive) to make or become fresh or vigorous, as through rest, drink, or food; revive or reinvigorate
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(tr) to enliven (something worn or faded), as by adding new decorations
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(tr) to stimulate (the memory)
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(tr) to replenish, as with new equipment or stores
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computing to display the latest updated version (of a web page or document); reload
Usage
What does refresh mean? To refresh is to reinvigorate, renew, or restore something to its original condition or a better state. In the context of technology, refresh most commonly means to reload a web page or app in order to access the most recent or updated version of a display or feed. Example: It’s amazing how much a hot shower can really refresh your spirit.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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refreshsimple
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refreshessimple
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have refreshedperfect
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has refreshedperfect
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am refreshingprogressive
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are refreshingprogressive
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is refreshingprogressive
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have been refreshingperfect progressive
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has been refreshingperfect progressive
Past
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refreshedsimple
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had refreshedperfect
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was refreshingprogressive
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were refreshingprogressive
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had been refreshingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of refresh
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English refreschen, from Middle French refreschir, Old French. See re-, fresh
Explanation
To refresh is to renew or revive — to make someone feel newly clean or invigorated. After a long, hot run, a glass of lemonade might refresh you. You might refresh yourself by taking a shower or a nap, and you can easily refresh your breath by brushing your teeth. When you refresh your memory, you stimulate it, or get it going: "I looked over my notes to refresh my memory before the quiz." On a computer, you can refresh a page by updating it. Refresh comes from the Old French refreschier, "refresh or renew."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Our reporting shows how Wall Street is already pouncing on his comments in fractions of a second, swinging energy and industrial stocks before everyday investors can even refresh their feeds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
With a refresh from the ambitious contemporary London jazz scene, she covered Curtis Mayfield’s ageless “Move On Up.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
Finally, having dropped their ask to $12.99 million in June 2025, the duo decided to pivot in their strategy, pulling the seven-bedroom, 8.5-bathroom property from the market to carry out a refresh throughout its interior.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
In a press release, external marking the news, the company said "reaching best-in-class quality required a significant talent refresh".
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
Carla walks in as I’m about to refresh again.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
As part of the model refreshes, it will launch an updated small van, renew a compact van, and introduce two new battery-electric powertrains across the lineup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
“As the portfolio refreshes, that capital will start earning the current interest rate, and that is supplementing their growth,” Nygren says.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 5, 2026
The company’s enhanced marketing initiatives and franchise refreshes should help things improve, as well.
From Barron's ● Dec. 13, 2025
“Tesla’s refreshes are pretty modest, and they’re driven by improving profitability,” said Ed Niedermeyer, who has written a book about Tesla and is working on a follow-up.
From Slate ● Feb. 12, 2025
I know that she likes to hear men boasting, it refreshes them so much.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
The overlooked museum, however, has been refreshed with an enchanting new exhibition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
The mother called for comprehensive and regularly refreshed training in physical healthcare and resuscitation for mental health staff.
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
The outdoor entertaining areas were also refreshed with new landscaping and elegant iron furniture that complements the home’s timeless aesthetic.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026
But analysts expect high-end iPhones will cost more this September, and the lower-priced models won’t be refreshed until 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
They felt refreshed after their nap and decided to continue on their journey.
From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba
The first has a crisp, refreshing profile that makes it an ideal partner for Chesapeake crabs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
For Ambrositsch and Keller, the key to survival lies in navigating those challenges while refreshing the age-old formula.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
This time, reporters were refreshing social media, while the handful of journalists and YouTube channels inside the venue became the eyes and ears for everyone else.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
It is playful and slightly unorthodox, especially if, in your childhood household, “soup” meant both vegetables and heat, but it is refreshing in terms of both effort and final product.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
After the parade ends, the street peddlers appear, selling honey-and-fig and rosewater-and-pistachio flavors of ice cream, so refreshing in the unusually warm weather.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
