# perfecting

/pɝˈfɛktɪŋ/ (US) · /pəfˈɛktɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/perfecting
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

making something as good as it can possibly be by fixing every small mistake. You do this when you want a result to be flawless.

For teachers: the present participle of 'perfect'; refers to the process of refining something to reach a state of complete excellence or accuracy. Often describes the final stage of a creative or technical project.

## Examples

- She is perfecting her recipe for the baking competition.
- The engineers spent months perfecting the new engine design before it went into mass production.
- While the initial draft was promising, the author spent another year perfecting the prose to ensure the emotional resonance of the final chapter was absolute.

## Usage notes

- Transitive — always takes a direct object representing the thing being improved.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.