polished

adjective

pol·​ished ˈpä-lisht 

1

: subjected to polishing : made smooth and glossy by or as if by polishing

a polished surface

polished silver

2

: characterized by a high degree of development, finish, or refinement : free from imperfections

a polished performance/performer

a highly polished piece of writing

3

somewhat old-fashioned : characterized by elegance and refinement

a polished gentleman

polished society

Synonyms

• sleek
• glossy
• glistening
• satin

Examples of polished in a Sentence

she could see her face reflected in the polished hood of the car

showing the polished manners of a cosmopolitan woman

Recent Examples on the Web

And so while polished OS betas that are clearly for public use are one thing, don’t stretch the point too far. —Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025

Her main forte has always been advertising, and an ability to leverage a large network built over 30 years at NBCU and Turner with a tenacious but polished business approach. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 11 July 2025

Onscreen, Supergirl has historically been portrayed as a kind, good-hearted, polished girl — not dissimilar to Superman, in fact. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 July 2025

Secondly, the aesthetic strikes an ideal balance between laidback and polished. —Izzy Baskette, People.com, 10 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English polisshed, from past participle of polisshen to polish

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for polished

• abolished
• demolished
• unpolished