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 of polished

• 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

Foxy’s Proper Pub Located downtown, Foxy’s offers a more polished take on the Irish pub format with a multilevel indoor-outdoor layout. —Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026

On the Spring 2026 runways, designers leaned fully into this silhouette, delivering polished leather iterations across every variation. —Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026

There’s a fine Music City rendition on Stewart’s first album — polished, jaunty, Nashville-perfect. —Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026

The aesthetic favors deliberate roughness and mistakes over a sterile, polished sheen. —Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2026

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