Standard Lemma guide

refresh

noun · verb · 13 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ɹiˈfɹɛʃ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ɹɪˈfɹɛʃ/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • South-Asia: /ˈrifrɛʃ/
  • South-Asia: /rɪˈfrɛʃ/
  • South-Asia: /ˈrɛfrɛʃ/
  • rhymes with -ɛʃ
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 F R EH1 SH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The periodic energizing required to maintain the contents of computer memory, the display luminance of a computer screen, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The update of a display (in a web browser or similar software) to show the latest version of the data.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The process of modernizing something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To renew or revitalize.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Sleep refreshes the body and the mind.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To become fresh again; to be revitalized.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To reload (a document, especially a webpage) and show any new changes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To cause (a web browser or similar software) to refresh its display.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: ambitransitive

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To perform the periodic energizing required to maintain the contents of computer memory, the display luminance of a computer screen, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To take refreshment; to eat or drink.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial, dated, intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

make fresh again

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: freshen, refreshen

Antonyms: tire

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

11

verb

Meaning 11

become or make oneself fresh again

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She freshened up after the tennis game

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: freshen, refreshen, freshen up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

Narrower terms: wash up, lave

12

verb

Meaning 12

make (to feel) fresh

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The cool water refreshed us

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: freshen

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: regenerate, renew

Narrower terms: vent, ventilate, air out, air

13

verb

Meaning 13

refresh one's memory

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I reviewed the material before the test

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: review, brush up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: remember, retrieve, recall, call back, call up, recollect, think

History

Etymology

From Middle English refreshen, refreschen, refrisschen, from Old French refrescher (“to refresh”) (modern French rafraîchir), equivalent to re- + fresh.

Across languages

Translations

92 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: обновяване (obnovjavane) — computing: update of a display
  • Finnish: päivitys — computing: update of a display
  • Hungarian: frissítés — computing: update of a display
  • Japanese: リフレッシュ (rifuresshu) — computing: update of a display
  • Japanese: 再読み込み (saiyomikomi) — computing: update of a display
  • Japanese: 更新 (kōshi) — computing: update of a display
  • Korean: 새로고침 (saerogochim) — computing: update of a display
  • Russian: обновле́ние (obnovlénije) — computing: update of a display
  • Ukrainian: оно́влення (onóvlennja) — computing: update of a display
  • Albanian: përtërij — to renew or revitalize
  • Arabic: جَدَّدَ (jaddada) — to renew or revitalize
  • Aromanian: mpruspitedz — to renew or revitalize
  • Bulgarian: освежавам (osvežavam) — to renew or revitalize
  • Bulgarian: ободрявам (obodrjavam) — to renew or revitalize
  • Catalan: refrescar — to renew or revitalize
  • Chinese Mandarin: 提神 (tíshén) — to renew or revitalize
  • Ngazidja Comorian: uɓuruɗisha — to renew or revitalize
  • Czech: občerstvit — to renew or revitalize
  • Czech: osvěžit — to renew or revitalize
  • Dutch: verfrissen — to renew or revitalize
  • Esperanto: refreŝigi — to renew or revitalize
  • Esperanto: revigligi — to renew or revitalize
  • Finnish: virkistää — to renew or revitalize
  • Finnish: piristää — to renew or revitalize
  • Finnish: elvyttää — to renew or revitalize
  • French: revigorer — to renew or revitalize
  • French: rafraîchir — to renew or revitalize
  • Old French: refreschir — to renew or revitalize
  • Georgian: განახლება (ganaxleba) — to renew or revitalize
  • German: erfrischen — to renew or revitalize
  • German: erquicken — to renew or revitalize
  • German: auffrischen — to renew or revitalize
  • Greek: ανανεώνω (ananeóno) — to renew or revitalize
  • Ancient Greek: ἀναψύχω (anapsúkhō) — to renew or revitalize
  • Hungarian: felüdít — to renew or revitalize
  • Hungarian: felfrissít — to renew or revitalize
  • Irish: beoigh — to renew or revitalize
  • Italian: rinfrescare — to renew or revitalize
  • Japanese: 爽やかにする (sawayaka ni suru) — to renew or revitalize
  • Kazakh: сергіту (sergıtu) — to renew or revitalize
  • Kazakh: жадырату (jadyratu) — to renew or revitalize
  • Kazakh: сарай ашу (sarai aşu) — to renew or revitalize
  • Korean: 새롭게 하다 (saeropge hada) — to renew or revitalize
  • Luxembourgish: erfrëschen — to renew or revitalize
  • Māori: tāmata — to renew or revitalize
  • Māori: whakanā — to renew or revitalize
  • Māori: whakamohou — to renew or revitalize
  • Polish: odświeżyć — to renew or revitalize
  • Polish: odnawiać — to renew or revitalize
  • Portuguese: refrescar — to renew or revitalize
  • Romanian: împrospăta — to renew or revitalize
  • Russian: освежа́ть (osvežátʹ) — to renew or revitalize
  • Russian: обновля́ть (obnovljátʹ) — to renew or revitalize
  • Spanish: refrescar — to renew or revitalize
  • Swedish: uppfriska — to renew or revitalize
  • Ukrainian: освіжа́ти (osvižáty) — to renew or revitalize
  • Ukrainian: освіжи́ти (osvižýty) — to renew or revitalize
  • Bulgarian: освежавам се (osvežavam se) — to become fresh again; to be revitalized
  • Esperanto: refreŝi — to become fresh again; to be revitalized
  • Finnish: virkistyä — to become fresh again; to be revitalized
  • Finnish: piristyä — to become fresh again; to be revitalized
  • Finnish: elpyä — to become fresh again; to be revitalized
  • Welsh: adfywio — to become fresh again; to be revitalized
  • Bulgarian: опреснявам (opresnjavam) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Bulgarian: обновявам (obnovjavam) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Chinese Mandarin: 刷新 (shuāxīn) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Dutch: een webpagina herladen — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Finnish: päivittää — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Finnish: ladata uudelleen — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • German: aktualisieren — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • German: neu laden — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Greek: ανανεώνω (ananeóno) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Japanese: リフレッシュする (rifuresshu suru) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Japanese: 再読み込みする (saiyomikomi suru) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Japanese: 更新する (kōshin suru) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Korean: 새로고침하다 (saerogochimhada) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Polish: odświeżać — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Portuguese: atualizar — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Portuguese: recarregar — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Russian: обновля́ть (obnovljátʹ) — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Vietnamese: làm mới — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Vietnamese: làm tươi — computing: to reload a document, web page etc.
  • Esperanto: aktualigi — computing: to cause to refresh a display
  • Finnish: päivittää — computing: to cause to refresh a display
  • Greek: ανανεώνω (ananeóno) — computing: to cause to refresh a display
  • Polish: odświeżać — computing: to cause to refresh a display
  • Portuguese: atualizar — computing: to cause to refresh a display
  • Portuguese: recarregar — computing: to cause to refresh a display
  • Spanish: refrescar — computing: to cause to refresh a display
  • Finnish: virkistää — computing: to perform periodic energizing
  • Greek: ανανεώνω (ananeóno) — computing: to perform periodic energizing
  • Spanish: refrescar — computing: to perform periodic energizing