polish

1 of 4

verb

pol·​ish ˈpä-lish 

polished; polishing; polishes

transitive verb

1

: to make smooth and glossy usually by friction : burnish

2

: to smooth, soften, or refine in manners or condition

3

: to bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state : perfect

intransitive verb

: to become smooth or glossy by or as if by friction

polisher noun

polish

2 of 4

noun (1)

1

a

: a smooth glossy surface : luster

b

somewhat old-fashioned : freedom from rudeness or coarseness : culture

c

: a state of high development or refinement

The movie has the polish we've come to expect from that director.

2

: the action or process of polishing

3

: a preparation that is used to produce a gloss and often a color for the protection and decoration of a surface

furniture polish

nail polish

Polish

3 of 4

adjective

Pol·​ish ˈpō-lish 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish

Polish

4 of 4

noun (2)

: the Slavic language of the Poles

Synonyms of polish

Verb

• rub
• smooth
• shine
• coat
• gloss

Noun (1)

• accomplishment
• refinement
• culture
• education
• civilization
• knowledge
• cultivation
• literacy
• manners

Examples of polish in a Sentence

Verb

He spent the summer polishing his math skills.

you'll need to polish your shoes with a clean rag before the performance

Noun (1)

I need more shoe polish.

Did you use a wax polish on the table or an oil-based one?

The movie has the polish we've come to expect from that director.

He's rude and lacks polish.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Dimensional blondes and brunettes offer shine and polish with a low-maintenance grow-out. —Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Feb. 2026

This density makes the granite particularly resilient to collisions and allows it to be polished to a finish smooth enough to glide on ice. —Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026

Noun

Place mats at entrances to trap dirt and debris, and apply a linoleum floor polish every few months to maintain its shine and protect against wear. —Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 8 Feb. 2026

This black pick from Cole Haan is flattering and adds instant polish to any outfit, in part thanks to brass hardware that ups the ante right off the bat. —Annie Blackman, InStyle, 8 Feb. 2026

Adjective

German fighter jets and Dutch air defenses were involved in the alert, the command said, adding that there were no recorded violations of Polish airspace. —David Brennan, ABC News, 7 Feb. 2026

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said a team would scour the files for potential Polish victims, and any links between Epstein and Russian secret services. —Jill Lawless, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026

Noun

Tying all of these ideas together and applying a consistent level of polish to them also added time to the process. —Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025

But in the early days of a startup, design polish doesn’t attract customers, partners, or investors. —Abdo Riani, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English polisshen, from Anglo-French poliss-, stem of polir, from Latin polire

Adjective

Pole

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Adjective

1592, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1555, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing polish

• apple-polish
• French polish
• nail polish
• polish off
• spit and polish
• take a high polish
• to a polish

Rhymes for polish

• gaulish
• smallish
• abolish
• demolish

Kids Definition

polish

1 of 4 verb

pol·​ish ˈpäl-ish 

1

: to make smooth and glossy usually by rubbing

2

: to smooth or improve in manners, condition, or style

3

: to bring to a highly developed or finished state

polish a technique

polisher noun

polish

2 of 4 noun

1

a

: a smooth glossy surface : luster

b

: good manners : refinement

2

: the action or process of polishing

3

: a substance prepared for use in polishing

shoe polish

nail polish

Polish

3 of 4 adjective

Pol·​ish ˈpō-lish 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish

Polish

4 of 4 noun

: the Slavic language of the Poles