unpolished
adjective
un·pol·ished
ˌən-ˈpä-lisht 
: not polished
unpolished gemstones
a talented but unpolished performer
an unpolished rough draft
Synonyms
Examples of unpolished in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One of the unpolished ceramic floor tiles bears the pawprints of a large dog that must have stepped into a mold full of wet clay.
—
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 20 Apr. 2023
Intrigued, Enrico tells Richard to prepare a presentation, and despite his complete ignorance of marketing, Richard manages to sell him on testing the idea thanks to his unbridled enthusiasm that goes a long way toward compensating for his unpolished delivery.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2023
Typically, corrido singers’ vocals are raw and unpolished, but not Nuñez’s.
—Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 26 July 2023
The bedroom is as ascetic as a monk’s cave—white walls, white sheets, minimal furniture, and unpolished wood floors—save for the arresting artwork hanging on the wall.
—Ingrid Abramovitch, ELLE Decor, 10 Aug. 2023
Martin retained what customers had come to love about the Seaview: an unpolished, homegrown appeal that welcomed visitors without feeling touristy.
—Marc Lester, Anchorage Daily News, 29 July 2023
There’s something poetic about Auburn’s unpolished hue.
—Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 18 July 2023
That was this Oscars in a nutshell: surprising warmth and sincere, unpolished emotions that blossomed in a stultifying format.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2023
Pop hooks — perhaps from a trombone or an accordion — support raw, seemingly unpolished voices, even as the band arrangements demand real-time virtuosity.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 22 June 2023
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Justin Davidson, Curbed, 20 Apr. 2023
Intrigued, Enrico tells Richard to prepare a presentation, and despite his complete ignorance of marketing, Richard manages to sell him on testing the idea thanks to his unbridled enthusiasm that goes a long way toward compensating for his unpolished delivery.
—Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Mar. 2023
Typically, corrido singers’ vocals are raw and unpolished, but not Nuñez’s.
—Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 26 July 2023
The bedroom is as ascetic as a monk’s cave—white walls, white sheets, minimal furniture, and unpolished wood floors—save for the arresting artwork hanging on the wall.
—Ingrid Abramovitch, ELLE Decor, 10 Aug. 2023
Martin retained what customers had come to love about the Seaview: an unpolished, homegrown appeal that welcomed visitors without feeling touristy.
—Marc Lester, Anchorage Daily News, 29 July 2023
There’s something poetic about Auburn’s unpolished hue.
—Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 18 July 2023
That was this Oscars in a nutshell: surprising warmth and sincere, unpolished emotions that blossomed in a stultifying format.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2023
Pop hooks — perhaps from a trombone or an accordion — support raw, seemingly unpolished voices, even as the band arrangements demand real-time virtuosity.
—Jon Pareles, New York Times, 22 June 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unpolished.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of unpolished was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near unpolished
Cite this Entry
“Unpolished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpolished. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.
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