adjective
-
exalted in nature or character; lofty
a rarefied spiritual existence
-
current within only a small group; esoteric or exclusive
-
(of a gas, esp the atmosphere at high altitudes) having a low density; thin
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rarefied
Explanation
Use the adjective rarefied to describe things that are so stylish, smart, or moral that they seem elevated above the ordinary, like the rarefied conversation of brilliant scholars. To correctly pronounce rarefied, accent the first syllable: "RARE-uh-fied." In addition to high-minded conversation, the word rarefied can also describe the air in high elevations that has less oxygen, like the rarefied air that can be challenging to mountain climbers. Sometimes the quality of airlessness shades the other meaning of the word, implying that the rarefied world of elegant people isn't comfortable to everyone.
Vocabulary lists containing rarefied
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Pop Culture: December 1 - 7, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In the same way that regional brands like Shake Shack and In-N-Out have maintained cult followings for their novelty, Cane’s has no doubt benefited from the same kind of rarefied air.
From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026
Such is the rarefied air they're breathing at this World Cup, what we said in previewing Haiti can be said again in looking forward to Morocco.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
His mental adjustment on how to react to failure, combined with a conditioning program that led him to lose 10 pounds and become faster and stronger, created a spring environment sending him into rarefied air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
Were Chun to win this tournament, she would be in rarefied air with bookend victories separated by 11 years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
At a modest high school in the Tidewater city of Portsmouth, not far from John Casteen’s boyhood home, a guidance-office wall filled with college pennants does not include one from rarefied Virginia.
From "Class Matters" by The New York Times
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.
