refine
verb (used with object)
to bring to a fine or a pure state; free from impurities.
has been refining
-
present perfect progressiveof refine (3rd person singular).present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Since 2012, the facility has been refining pure metals from raw materials mined in Western Australia, in an intensive and complicated separation procedure.
From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026
The BLS has been refining its birth-death model, but to some extent, it will always be an educated guess.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 12, 2025
Since the increase, Larson continued, the school district has been refining its prevention and intervention programs.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 17, 2024
For years, Monolith has been refining “methane pyrolysis,” which involves taking natural gas, heating it to high temperatures, and producing two valuable products — ammonia, used in fertilizer, and carbon black, used in tires.
From New York Times ● May 11, 2023
Green Dot has been refining its mobile app for a while and it is now extremely easy to use.
From Encyclopedia.com ● Feb. 13, 2018
