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

When a system can drop the fourth wall unprompted, ingest its own structural tells and re‑engage with unvarnished candor, the vulnerability shifts from deceptive compliance to authentic resonance. — Terry Oroszi, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

The latter material adds a raw dimension that says as much about the sensual curves of her figures as their unvarnished material. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 7 Sep. 2026

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

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