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

But the unvarnished exchange offered a revealing glimpse of both candidates. — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Sure, the clips of robots running into walls are incredible content, but the Olympics-style tournament in Beijing also offers an unvarnished look at the latest innovations in China’s humanoid industry — a public benchmark testing. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026

The acclaimed writer Rachel Cusk’s controversial new novel Life of M is an intimate, unvarnished character study of an A-list movie star who is depicted as hollow, immature and cynical, an intellectual poseur and an artist wannabe. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026

To be sure, putting our unvarnished, authentic selves on display can feel intimidating, but audiences respond well to it, and this approach can allow for meaningful connection and influence. — Matt Abrahams, Time, 5 Aug. 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