refresh

verb

ri-ˈfresh How to pronounce refresh (audio)
Definition of refreshnext
1
as in to restore
to bring back to a former condition or vigor brought out some iced tea to refresh the spirits of the folks working out in the sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to eat
to take a meal we were looking for a family-friendly restaurant where we could sit down and refresh before continuing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb refresh differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of refresh are rejuvenate, renew, renovate, and restore. While all these words mean "to make like new," refresh implies the supplying of something necessary to restore lost strength, animation, or power.

a refreshing drink

When would rejuvenate be a good substitute for refresh?

The words rejuvenate and refresh are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rejuvenate suggests the restoration of youthful vigor, powers, or appearance.

the change in jobs rejuvenated her spirits

Where would renew be a reasonable alternative to refresh?

Although the words renew and refresh have much in common, renew implies a restoration of what had become faded or disintegrated so that it seems like new.

efforts to renew the splendor of the old castle

When can renovate be used instead of refresh?

The meanings of renovate and refresh largely overlap; however, renovate suggests a renewing by cleansing, repairing, or rebuilding.

the apartment has been entirely renovated

In what contexts can restore take the place of refresh?

The words restore and refresh can be used in similar contexts, but restore implies a return to an original state after depletion or loss.

restored a fine piece of furniture

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of refresh What started as a table of supplies has become a full wall of respirators, whistles, and hand warmers, all frequently refreshed. —Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026 The airline has also refreshed its food and beverage options, including offering Lavazza coffee and Champagne Bollinger. —Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 7 Feb. 2026 Updating your hardware is a simple way to refresh your home and keep it aligned with current design trends. —Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026 After it was finished, the house didn’t reflect her master plan, but at least there was now a good kitchen and refreshed water lines. —Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refresh
Recent Examples of Synonyms for refresh
  1. restore
  2. eat
  3. revive
  4. feed
  5. dine
  6. renew
Verb
  • On this occasion, his team only threatened to restore parity once, Henderson blocking Kostoulas’s shot after he was put through by Georginio Rutter.
    — Andy Naylor, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Administration public health officials often cite the need to restore trust in public health systems after the coronavirus pandemic, when vaccine policy and the general public health response to the deadly pandemic became a highly polarizing topic in American politics.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of restore
Verb
  • As organizers headed back to their vehicles Friday, Pepe de la Torre, 64, ate a red apple and gazed at the crowd.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Eric Richins reportedly broke out in hives and struggled to breathe after eating the sandwich, used his son’s EpiPen and took Benadryl before falling asleep for hours.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of eat
Verb
  • Additionally, North Wilkesboro Speedway — once literally in ruins — was revived in 2023 for NASCAR’s All-Star Race, and this summer will host its first official Cup Series points race since 1996.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The latest earnings reports from major technology companies have revived investors’ concerns about payoffs on elevated artificial intelligence (AI) spending.
    — TipRanks, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of revive
Verb
  • The snowpack that builds up over the winter in the Sierra Nevada slowly melts to feed rivers and reservoirs through the spring and summer.
    — Monica Garske, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Try soaking some banana peels for a few days and then use the water to feed houseplants.
    — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of feed
Verb
  • Set across chef Carlo Cracco’s restaurant in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the venue includes an Omega Café by Cracco on the ground floor with private lounges and dining rooms above for live event screenings.
    — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Deuxmoi showed pictures of McRae and Hughes dining at Anton’s in the West Village the month prior.
    — Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of dine
Verb
  • Laporta’s last two actions as president before the election process were to renew Fermin’s contract until 2031 and abandon the European Super League project.
    — Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The series, which comes from Canadian studio Crave, was swiftly renewed after Season 1 debuted to far more fanfare than anyone might have expected.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of renew

Browse Nearby Words

reframing
refresh
refreshed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Refresh.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/refresh. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on refresh

Nglish: Translation of refresh for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

What does 'etcetera' mean?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?

Why Is the Letter ‘Z’ Associated With Sleeping?

The Words of the Week - Feb. 13

Why do we call it 'ides of March'?
See More

Popular

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All