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

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

Following a car crash in Florida last month, and the subsequent release of numerous police videos showing the aftermath, the world was presented with an unvarnished view of a broken hero. —Don Riddell, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026

Its founder and one-man operator, Jack Kavanagh, is trusted for his unvarnished, unbiased presentation. —Los Angeles Times, 5 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