You earn $22,000. The tax table says you owe $3,456 in taxes. During the year, your tax withholdings were $5,333. What is your refund?
$5,333 were withheld from your salary, but you only owe $3,456. Therefore, the government will return to you the $1,877 you overpaid in taxes throughout the year. The amount returned is obtained by subtracting $3,456 from $5,333.