What does refurbished mean?
Refurbished describes something that has been repaired, cleaned, renewed, or improved so that it is in good condition and often appears newer than before. The word is especially common for houses, apartments, offices, kitchens, bathrooms, vehicles, and commercial products. It suggests that an existing object has received attention and gained a useful second life, rather than that it has been manufactured from scratch. In everyday use, “refurbished” can sound more attractive than “repaired” because it implies an overall improvement in appearance and function, but it does not necessarily mean that every component is new. The related verb “refurbish” expresses the action itself, and “refurbishment” names the process or result. Refurbished is used in both British and American English, with little significant regional difference.
Restored to good condition or made to look newer through repair, cleaning, renovation, or renewal.
"They bought a refurbished apartment near the station."
Usually placed before the noun it modifies.
To restore something to good condition, especially by repairing, cleaning, renovating, or replacing worn parts.
"The owners refurbished the kitchen before moving in."
Normally transitive; it takes a building, room, vehicle, product, or other object as its object.
Refurbished gives a second life to a space or product without pretending that it is brand new.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does refurbished come from?
The word was formed by combining the prefix re-, meaning again, with furnish, which originally meant to supply or provide. Over time, refurbish came to mean to restore or repair something so that it is in good condition. Its related noun, refurbishment, developed from the same verbal root and became especially common in the language of property and consumer goods.
Related word forms
How refurbished is actually used
The adjective normally appears before the noun it modifies, although it can also follow the noun in more formal or emphatic constructions. As a verb, it is usually transitive and takes a building, vehicle, product, or similar object as its subject of renovation.
Easily confused with refurbished
Refurbished is an adjective describing something that has been restored or improved, whereas refurbishment is the noun for the process or result of doing so.