refine
verb (used with object)
to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities.
had refined
-
past perfectof refine.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
The concept echoed the cash-and-carry model he had refined in South Africa.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
He wanted more years, more time to create, to apply the signature he had refined for nearly a century, until his death on Friday at 96.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 5, 2025
They said Turla, the FSB unit believed responsible for the malware, had refined and revised it multiple times as a way to avoid being shut down.
From Seattle Times ● May 9, 2023
Sandwell Council said it had refined its contact tracing service to pick up suspected cases of Omicron early.
From BBC ● Dec. 6, 2021
In England, farm breeders had refined the creation of novel breeds and variants to a highly sophisticated science.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
