polished; polishing; polishes
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
: to become smooth or glossy by or as if by friction
polisher
noun
1
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
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish
: the Slavic language of the Poles
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
Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Under Ledru, Tiffany is polishing the brand by linking its legacy to the now.
—Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 24 Apr. 2025
Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
But there’s actually an art to nude polish, because not all nudes are created equal.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Jonas Salk The son of Polish Jewish immigrants, Jonas Salk grew up and was educated in New York City and earned his medical degree from NYU in 1939.
—Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for polish
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Verb
The usual approach looks like this: find the job, polish your resume, hit apply, and hope for the best.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Under Ledru, Tiffany is polishing the brand by linking its legacy to the now.
—Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
Horn, a 5-foot-8, 174-pound pass catcher, jumps off the page thanks to his quickness and polish and general competitiveness.
—Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025
But there’s actually an art to nude polish, because not all nudes are created equal.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
Drones and missiles entering NATO airspace have not been treated as attacks on the alliance so far, but Polish authorities have scrambled aircraft several times in recent weeks because of Moscow's aerial attacks on Ukraine.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Jonas Salk The son of Polish Jewish immigrants, Jonas Salk grew up and was educated in New York City and earned his medical degree from NYU in 1939.
—Eli Amdur, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for polish
Cite this Entry
“Polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polish. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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 noun1
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
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