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

Imagine being able to see precisely how team members contribute to a project—not just who speaks up in meetings (as evidenced by transcripts) or turns in polished presentations, but who drafts, refines, questions, and rethinks. —David Ferrucci, Fortune, 30 June 2025

One essay felt stitched together from two minds—half of it was polished and rote, the other intimate and unfiltered. —Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 30 June 2025

This is a more desperate firefight than a polished enemy dispatch. —Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025

The green version, limited to 78 pieces and sold by Louis Erard, uses a polished 42mm stainless steel case and is paired with a black toad leather strap. —Matthew Catellier, Forbes.com, 30 June 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