refreshing

adjective

re·​fresh·​ing ri-ˈfre-shiŋ How to pronounce refreshing (audio)
Synonyms of refreshingnext
: serving to refresh
especially : agreeably stimulating because of freshness or newness
a refreshing change of pace
refreshingly
ri-ˈfre-shiŋ-lē How to pronounce refreshing (audio)
adverb

Synonyms of refreshing

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of refreshing in a Sentence

Working on the new project was a refreshing change. It is refreshing to hear some good news about him. a refreshing glass of cold water My swim was very refreshing.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Monday was, by and large, a refreshing day in the Love Island villa. — Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 7 July 2026 The new beverage will combine matcha, milk and ice, layered with creamy citrus notes for a refreshing answer to summer’s hottest days. — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 6 July 2026 Peaches are a juicy, naturally sweet, nutritious, and refreshing fruit. — Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 7 July 2026 In a popular culture that is so fragmented, there was something refreshing about how so many conversations, either online or in person, were about the same thing. — Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for refreshing

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of refreshing was circa 1580

Rhymes for refreshing

See All Rhymes for refreshing

Browse Nearby Words

refreshful
refreshing
refreshment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Refreshing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refreshing. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

refreshing

adjective
re·​fresh·​ing ri-ˈfresh-iŋ How to pronounce refreshing (audio)
: serving to refresh
especially : pleasing because of freshness or newness

More from Merriam-Webster on refreshing

Nglish: Translation of refreshing 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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
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
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All