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

• buffed
• burnished
• glistening
• glossy
• lustrous
• rubbed
• satin
• satiny
• sleek

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

The Pill also delivers big, polished sound, with refined clarity and punctual definition. —Brenda Stolyar, Wired News, 24 May 2025

On May 20, the Princess of Wales helped host a Buckingham Palace garden party alongside Prince William while wearing a polished long-sleeve dress in the seasonal ‘it’ color, butter yellow. —Averi Baudler, People.com, 23 May 2025

The waterproof, lightweight EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate) fabrication of any Birkenstock shoe would also be a fun choice for this look in lieu of the polished leather Boston style and would add a bit more shine to the fashion-forward look. —Abby Morgan Lebet, Glamour, 23 May 2025

These two watches feature bidirectional rotating bezel with two-tone, matte black and polished black, ceramic insert. —Bhanu Chopra, Forbes.com, 22 May 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