refine
verb (used with object)
to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities.
had been refining
-
past perfect progressiveof refine.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
Only later did I realize that much of what sounded spontaneous was a pitch he had been refining in years of promotional interviews and farm tours.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
Her team had been refining an AI tool, set to launch in January, which felt suspiciously like training a replacement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
Democratic staff had been refining it since at least 2019, when they released a white paper.
From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2021
The cooking may not have been in the vanguard any longer, but Mr. Portale was still wringing fresh pleasures out of ideas he had been refining for years.
From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2020
He had been refining his sketches of Persepolis ever since we got back.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
