unvarnished

adjective

un·​var·​nished ˌən-ˈvär-nisht 

1

a

: not adorned or glossed : plain, straightforward

told the unvarnished truth

b

: artless, frank

… the unvarnished candor of old people and children.

—Janet Flanner

2

: not coated with or as if with varnish : crude, unfinished

Synonyms of unvarnished

• simple
• plain
• unadorned
• naked

Examples of unvarnished in a Sentence

If you want my unvarnished opinion, the movie stinks.

I'm telling the unvarnished truth.

Recent Examples on the Web

One half of me belonged to the unvarnished truth of the earth — a father and a climber, defined by the clean grit of granite and sandstone, and the weight of my son’s hand in mine. —Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026

Seahouses has an unvarnished appeal that feels increasingly rare. —Rob Crossan, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 May 2026

Through unvarnished and deeply human storytelling, Jafar reminds us that art, at its most powerful, is an act of freedom. —Nazanin Boniadi, Time, 15 Apr. 2026

The Perfect Neighbor gives an unvarnished accounting of the events leading up to and following Owens’ murder using body cam footage collected during the police’s prior visits to the killer’s house. —James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for unvarnished

• garnished
• tarnished
• varnished
• untarnished

Kids Definition

unvarnished

adjective

un·​var·​nished ˌən-ˈvär-nisht 

ˈən-

1

: not adorned or exaggerated : plain

the unvarnished truth

2

: not varnished