refined
Americanadjective
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having or showing well-bred feeling, taste, etc..
refined people.
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freed or free from coarseness, vulgarity, etc..
refined taste.
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freed from impurities.
refined sugar.
- Synonyms:
- distilled
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very subtle, precise, or exact.
refined distinctions.
adjective
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not coarse or vulgar; genteel, elegant, or polite
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subtle; discriminating
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freed from impurities; purified
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of refined
Explanation
Something that's refined has gone through a process to remove impurities. An oil refinery removes impurities from oil. When a person's refined, they have good manners and good taste. A stereotypically refined lady will drink tea every day at four in the afternoon, lift her pinky while drinking, and select only refined (pure white, not raw) sugar as a sweetener. Someone with a refined taste in art has learned how to make judgments about what is good and what they like.
Vocabulary lists containing refined
The Diary of Anne Frank
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Chains
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A Streetcar Named Desire
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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.
As I’ve gotten older and refined my own palate, khichuri has become my dish of all trades.
From Salon • Jun. 7, 2026
“From the moment you arrive, the home’s timeless Texas limestone facade, rich wood beams, and refined architectural detailing create an unmistakable sense of understated luxury,” the listing—which was held by Courtney Oldham of Compass—stated.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
Executives from Exxon Mobil and Chevron as well as a major oil-trading firm have warned recently that inventories of oil and refined products are going to get critical in the next several weeks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
The result is an hour that helps showcase his refined comedic voice, surprise the audience and sound the trumpets for his next round of touring.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
Madam knocked on the door with a not terribly refined fist.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
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.
