REFINE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for REFINE?

Need another word that means the same as “refine”? Find 27 synonyms and 30 related words for “refine” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Refine” are: complicate, elaborate, rarify, rectify, down, fine-tune, polish, purify, clarify, clear, cleanse, strain, sift, filter, rarefy, distil, concentrate, process, treat, improve, perfect, polish up, hone, temper, touch up, revise, edit

Refine as a Verb

Definitions of "Refine" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “refine” as a verb can have the following definitions:

• Attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or intensity by polishing or purifying.
• Attenuate or reduce in vigor, strength, or validity by polishing or purifying.
• Treat or prepare so as to put in a usable condition.
• Make more precise or increase the discriminatory powers of.
• Make minor changes so as to improve or clarify (a theory or method.
• Reduce to a fine, unmixed, or pure state; separate from extraneous matter or cleanse from impurities.
• Improve or perfect by pruning or polishing.
• Remove impurities or unwanted elements from (a substance), typically as part of an industrial process.
• Make more complex, intricate, or richer.

Synonyms of "Refine" as a verb (27 Words)

clarify	Melt (butter) in order to separate out the water and milk solids. The report managed to clarify the government s position.
cleanse	Purge of an ideology, bad thoughts, or sins. Only God Himself can cleanse us.
clear	Grant authorization or clearance for. The water had to be cleared through filtering.
complicate	Make something more complicated. Increased choice will complicate matters for the consumer.
concentrate	Compress or concentrate. Concentrate juice.
distil	Make spirits or an essence by distilling. Coal tar is made by distilling out the volatile products in coal.
down	Bring down or defeat an opponent. He downed five pints of cider.
edit	Be editor of a newspaper or magazine. The same family has been editing the influential newspaper for almost 100 years.
elaborate	(of a natural agency) produce (a substance) from its elements or simpler constituents. Many amino acid and peptide hormones are elaborated by neural tissue.
filter	Process or treat with a filter. You ll be put through to a secretary whose job it is to filter calls.
fine-tune	Make fine adjustments or divide into marked intervals for optimal measuring.
hone	Sharpen with a hone. She has been working hard to hone her physique.
improve	Get better. Efforts to improve relations between the countries.
perfect	Make perfect or complete. The heap was normally printed as white paper in the morning turned at the midday break and perfected in the afternoon.
polish	Improve or perfect by pruning or polishing. Polish my shoes.
polish up	Bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state.
process	Subject to a process or treatment with the aim of readying for some purpose improving or remedying a condition. Process a loan.
purify	Remove contaminants from. A ritual bath to purify the soul.
rarefy	Weaken the consistency of (a chemical substance. As the shell continues to expand and rarefy astronomers may eventually be able to see characteristic gamma rays from the radioactivity within.
rarify	Make more complex, intricate, or richer.
rectify	Put right; correct. His methods of rectifying the cycloid.
revise	Revise or reorganize especially for the purpose of updating and improving. Revise a thesis.
sift	Cause to flow or pass as through a sieve. He asked for streamlined procedures to sift out frivolous applications.
strain	Rub through a strainer or process in an electric blender. He strained her tolerance to the limit.
temper	Make more temperate acceptable or suitable by adding something else. She tempered her criticism.
touch up	Comprehend.
treat	Subject to a process or treatment with the aim of readying for some purpose improving or remedying a condition. The two were treated for cuts and bruises.

Usage Examples of "Refine" as a verb

• Sugar was refined by boiling it in huge iron vats.
• Many valuable nutrients are refined out of the foods in our modern diet.
• Refine a method of analysis.
• Refine the constant in the equation.
• Ease of access to computers has refined analysis and presentation of data.
• Refine oil.
• Refine pig iron.
• Refine paper stock.
• Refine a design or pattern.
• Refine sugar.
• Refine one's style of writing.

Associations of "Refine" (30 Words)

advance	Pay in advance. Advance payment.
advancement	Gradual improvement or growth or development. Technological advancements.
ameliorate	Get better. The reform did much to ameliorate living standards.
augment	Enlarge or increase. The recent speech of the president augmented tensions in the Near East.
augmentation	The amount by which something increases. The augmentation of the curriculum with new subjects.
better	Get better. Educating the young to respect their elders and betters.
bolster	Prop up with a pillow or bolster. Bolster morale.
develop	Cause to grow and differentiate in ways conforming to its natural development. The embryo develops into a fetus.
developed	(of real estate) made more useful and profitable as by building or laying out roads. The developed qualities of the Hellenic outlook.
distillation	The process of purifying a liquid by boiling it and condensing its vapors. The petroleum distillation process.
efficiency	An action designed to achieve efficiency. She did the work with great efficiency.
enhance	Increase. His refusal does nothing to enhance his reputation.
enhancement	An improvement that makes something more agreeable. The enhancement of civic amenities.
enrich	Increase the proportion of a particular isotope in (an element), especially that of the isotope U-235 in uranium so as to make it suitable for use in a nuclear reactor or weapon. The oil boom enriched a lot of local people.
escalate	Increase rapidly. We do not want to escalate the war.
improve	To make better. They are trying to improve on the tired old style.
increase	A change resulting in an increase. Some increase in inflation is expected.
lapidary	A skilled worker who cuts and engraves precious stones. A lapidary statement.
meliorate	To make better.
optimize	Modify to achieve maximum efficiency in storage capacity or time or cost. Optimize your resources.
polish	Improve or perfect by pruning or polishing. A tin of shoe polish.
productivity	The ratio of the quantity and quality of units produced to the labor per unit of time. The long term productivity of land.
prudery	Excessive or affected modesty.
purify	Make ceremonially clean. The filtration plant is able to purify 70 tons of water a day.
rarefy	Make or become less dense or solid. As the shell continues to expand and rarefy astronomers may eventually be able to see characteristic gamma rays from the radioactivity within.
reelect	Elect again.
refinement	The quality of excellence in thought and manners and taste. I admired the exquisite refinement of his prose.
sere	(especially of vegetation) dry or withered. The desert was edged with sere vegetation.
upgrade	An act of upgrading something. I upgraded to First Class when Coach Class was overbooked.
uplift	Cause (someone) to feel more cheerful, positive, or optimistic. Their love will prove an enormous uplift.