SKIP TO CONTENT

refinish

Other forms: refinished; refinishing; refinishes

To refinish something is to repair or replace its surface. You might decide to refinish the scratched and worn wood floors in your house, for example.

The surfaces of wooden things, like furniture and floors, can become dull and scratched over time, or may even be painted. If you wanted to remove old paint from an oak table and make it gleam, you'd refinish it — sanding the surface, staining it, and possibly coating it with a layer of protective wax. Refinish, "apply a new finish to," is based in the finish meaning "surface appearance of a material or object."

Definitions of refinish
  1. verb
    give a new surface
    refinish the dining room furniture”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    coat, surface
    put a coat on; cover the surface of; furnish with a surface
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘refinish'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family