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refined

refined

4 4.1
Showing elegant, polite manners and good taste
  • adjective
  • /rɪˈfaɪnd/
  • Formal
translation icon : refinado
  • You need someone who's elegant and refined.

Well, by enjoying pleasures in a thoughtful, rational, refined sort of way.

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Examples

  • They're so bright and cultured and refined.

  • He's an incredibly refined, knowledgeable young man.

  • And you see I have a much more refined structure.

  • No, he seems a little too refined, though.

  • But the difference now is your own refined philosophy and how you think about things.

  • I'm a lot more refined now as an adult.

  • A lot of the products are very refined in appearance, in texture and in colour.

  • The most refined, professional, ladylike doctor in this hospital came to my defense tonight.

  • Oh, I wish I could be more like her, so cultured, so refined.

  • She held herself with a refined grace that captivated everyone at the gala.

Synonyms

elegant
vsrefined
165 3.3

Having an attractive, stylish look that shows good taste

emphasizes cultured manners and taste more than physical beauty or movement
classy
vsrefined
133 4.1

Being elegant and stylish and showing good taste

is about cultured manners and internal taste more than surface status
graceful
vsrefined
87 2.8

Movement that is smooth and attractive like a dancer or swan

is about overall good taste and manners rather than only physical movement
stylish
vsrefined
85 2.0

Clothes or rooms that look fashionable and attractive

emphasizes cultured manners and long term taste rather than only fashion
civilized
vsrefined
80 4.4

Polite with good manners and refined taste

is mainly about elegance and cultured manners rather than societal development
sophisticated
vsrefined
76 6.2

A work with deep, not obvious ideas that interest thoughtful people

fits general elegance and good manners more than intellectual subtlety
high-class
vsrefined
20 5.8

Showing elegant, expensive style that makes someone seem richer or more important

focuses on genuine cultured manners and good taste rather than showy pretension
aristocratic
vsrefined
19 7.2

Like people from rich, important families who have high social rank

refers more to elegant taste and manners than to inherited social status
polished
vsrefined
19 4.6

Calm, confident, and elegant in public because of experience

focuses on elegance and good taste rather than experience based smoothness
suave
vsrefined
18 7.1

Confident and charming in a smooth, polite way, often about a man

leans more toward cultured manners and taste rather than mere smooth charm
polite
vsrefined
18 1.0

Having elegant manners and good taste in art or dress

is specifically about elegance and cultured taste rather than mere courtesy
genteel
vsrefined
14 7.7

Polite and elegant in a way that tries to impress others

is about sincere cultured manners rather than merely affected respectability
urbane
vsrefined
  • Formal
7 7.0

A person who is polite and confident in social situations

leans more toward elegance and good taste than urban social polish
courtly
vsrefined
  • Literature
6 7.2

Polite and elegant like people at a royal court

is used for general cultured manners not restricted to royal formality
cultured
vsrefined
5 5.1

A person who likes and understands art, music, and books

focuses more on elegance and social manners than intellectual cultivation
patrician
vsrefined
4 8.6

Having polite, elegant manners like upper class people

is about cultured elegance and taste rather than specific class origins
decorous
vsrefined
  • Formal
3 7.9

Polite and showing good manners in formal situations

centres on elegant taste and cultured manners rather than mere propriety
high-toned
vsrefined
1 8.7

Very fancy in a way that tries to impress people

leans more to natural good taste and manners rather than affected showiness
cultivated
vsrefined
  • Formal
5.4

Having good education, polite manners, and good taste

stresses elegance and taste rather than mainly learned education and training
soignée
vsrefined
  • Formal
9.9

Very well dressed and neatly groomed in a stylish way

concerns overall cultured manners and taste rather than only neat appearance
ultrarefined
vsrefined
8.1

Very elegant and cultured in style or manners

is similar but at a lower level of elegance and cultural depth

Antonyms

52 6.1

Showing little good taste or refinement in style

uncultured
  • Offensive
3 5.6

Showing little interest in art or books and having bad manners

unrefined
  • Offensive
1 6.0

A person who lacks good manners or social skills

Compounds

White sugar made from sugar cane or beet and used to sweeten food and drinks

A strong ability to notice and enjoy fine flavors in food and drink

How Elegant

elegant
165 3.3
refined
  • Formal
4 4.1
cultured
5 5.1
plain
208 1.0
uncouth
  • Offensive
10 8.4

Surface Forms

refined positive

Morphology

refined = refine (semi-transparent) = refine + ed

The adjectival use 'refined' for manners or taste is a figurative extension from 'to improve or polish', so learners may not fully deduce 'cultured' solely from the verb.

Etymology

Refined comes from the same root meaning 'make fine' — re- 'again' and fine 'good' or 'elegant'. Think of someone or something that has been polished until it looks smooth and tasteful, so a refined person or style shows elegance and good taste.