- present participle of refresh.
refreshing
Americanadjective
-
having the power to restore freshness, vitality, energy, etc..
a refreshing nap.
-
pleasingly fresh or different.
a refreshing lack of pretense.
adjective
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able to or tending to refresh; invigorating
-
pleasantly different or novel
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of refreshing
Explanation
Something is refreshing if it reinvigorates you, or seems new and exciting. The offer of a refreshing glass of iced tea would be especially refreshing if it came from your normally cranky sister. Mint toothpaste is refreshing — clean and brisk — and a cool ocean breeze is refreshing on a hot day. If you're used to seeing wilted salads and pale lasagna in your school cafeteria every day, a refreshing change would be a taco bar or homemade pizza. Refreshing comes from the verb refresh, which has a Germanic root similar to frisc, "fresh" in Old High German.
Vocabulary lists containing refreshing
Words to Describe a Movie
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Words to Describe Food
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American Street
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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.
She sautés her veggies to make “basically a stir-fry,” adding, “It’s less refreshing in this hot weather than a regular raw salad, but the tradeoff feels worth it.”
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
But her refreshing honesty is what people respond to, and both she and Sandy know she’s going to need people in the not-so-distant future.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
The two halves provide the perfect location for people to swim in this deliciously refreshing picture book for readers ages 4 to 8.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but personally I've been enjoying the walk-out looks and think it brings a different, refreshing element to our sport.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
No doubt, it is refreshing to leave the house at times.'
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
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.
