Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for rarefied. Search instead for rarefiers.
Synonyms

rarefied

American  
[rair-uh-fahyd] / ˈrɛər əˌfaɪd /

adjective

  1. extremely high or elevated; lofty; exalted.

    the rarefied atmosphere of a scholarly symposium.

  2. of, belonging to, or appealing to an exclusive group; select; esoteric.

    rarefied tastes.
rarefied British  
/ ˈrɛərɪˌfaɪd /

adjective

  1. exalted in nature or character; lofty

    a rarefied spiritual existence

  2. current within only a small group; esoteric or exclusive

  3. (of a gas, esp the atmosphere at high altitudes) having a low density; thin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • ultrararefied adjective
  • unrarefied adjective

Etymology

Origin of rarefied

First recorded in 1660–70; rarefy + -ed 2

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 Iran war had turned one of the world’s most rarefied sports into a high-stakes evacuation mission—one that would be filled with logistical obstacles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

Dictators may be faithless and brutal to their own people, but in the rarefied circle of fellow dictators, a kind of camaraderie flourishes.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

They'll drop to second if France beat Italy on Sunday, but second after three games is rarefied air for Gregor Townsend and his team.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

The veteran prop, 36, will enter rarefied air on Sunday when he takes the field in Christchurch against the Canterbury Crusaders as he closes in on the all-time appearance record of 202.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

There was always sunshine, always a tiny sticking in the throat from the rarefied air.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

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.