Meaning & use

refined

adjective·Academic

Elegant and cultured in manner or taste, or, of a substance, purified by removing impurities.

See it in a sentence

His refined taste in wine came from years of traveling through French vineyards.

The factory refined the crude oil into gasoline, diesel, and other products.

A note on using this word

Refined applies both to people's manners and to physical substances like sugar or oil, always suggesting rough elements were removed.

Words with a similar meaning

culturedpolishedpurified

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Words with an opposite meaning

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