refinance

verb

re·​fi·​nance ˌrē-fə-ˈnan(t)s  (ˌ)rē-ˈfī-ˌnan(t)s 

ˌrē-(ˌ)fī-ˈnan(t)s

refinanced; refinancing; refinances

transitive + intransitive

: to renew or reorganize the financing of something : to provide for (an outstanding indebtedness) by making or obtaining another loan or a larger loan on fresh terms

refinance a mortgage

With rates tumbling, pay a little more now and retain the flexibility to refinance again next year.

—Daniel Kadlec

Examples of refinance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An important buffer is that Washington does not have to refinance its entire debt pile at today’s higher rates immediately, the investment bank’s analysts said. — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026

This expansion was helped by a new $190 million funding package provided by Blazehill Capital and Wells Fargo Capital Finance UK to refinance its existing debt in June 2023. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026

Applications for loans to refinance existing mortgages also declined. — Michelle Chapman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

What forced the decision was the collision between loans coming due and a refinancing environment that no longer resembled the one in which those loans were written. — Khalifa Aldhaheri, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for refinance

• circumstance
• esperance
• exceedance
• happenstance
• advance
• askance
• enhance
• expanse
• finance
• freelance
• mischance
• perchance

Legal Definition

refinance

1 of 2 transitive verb

re·​fi·​nance ˌrē-fə-ˈnans, -ˈfī-ˌnans 

1

: to renew or reorganize the financing of

2

: to revise the terms of (a debt obligation) especially in regard to interest rate or payment schedule

refinance a mortgage

intransitive verb

: to finance something anew

refinance

2 of 2 noun

: a financing of something anew

especially : a revision of the terms of a debt obligation (as a mortgage)