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
-
subtle; discriminating
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freed from impurities; purified
Other Word Forms
- half-refined adjective
- nonrefined adjective
- quasi-refined adjective
- refinedly adverb
- refinedness noun
- semirefined adjective
- superrefined adjective
- ultrarefined adjective
- well-refined adjective
Etymology
Origin of refined
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.
Architecture by Swedroe Architecture, with interiors by Oggi Design House, aims to deliver a more refined, design-forward residential experience along the Treasure Coast.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Jet fuel, which is refined from crude oil, is among the biggest operating costs that airlines face.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
The heart association applauded the government’s warnings against added sugars, refined grains and processed foods in January, noting that the advice aligns with the organization’s long-standing recommendations.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
The move would be a huge blow to countries like the Philippines and Australia, which are big buyers of refined products from China.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
He took out a number of small steel splinters from my thighs with delicate and refined distaste.
From "A Farewell To Arms" by Ernest Hemingway
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.
