1
as in rubbing
to make smooth by friction
she learned to buff semiprecious stones in order to make her own jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the janitor buffed the lobby floor until it shone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of buffing
These provide enough force for buffing out scratches without further damaging the surface.
—
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Anything above 220 is considered fine and works well for smoothing edges and buffing the nail surface to a polished finish.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
Finish by cleaning the area with the vinegar and water mixture and buffing it to a shine.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
For extra shine, Sokolowski suggests buffing lightly with a dry cloth.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
The singer, born Cassandra Monique Batie, also colored her waterline with black, buffing gray and brown tones underneath.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
To start, apply a base coat that's similar to your nails, and finish off by buffing in a milky white hue on the tips.
—Taylor Augustin Littlejohn, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
If the bloom's appearance bothers you, remove it by applying a small amount of oil, such as cooking oil or baby oil, to a soft cloth, then gently buffing it away in a circular motion.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Application involves lightly buffing the nail, applying the adhesive, and pressing each faux nail into place.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2025
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Anything above 220 is considered fine and works well for smoothing edges and buffing the nail surface to a polished finish.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
Finish by cleaning the area with the vinegar and water mixture and buffing it to a shine.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
For extra shine, Sokolowski suggests buffing lightly with a dry cloth.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
The singer, born Cassandra Monique Batie, also colored her waterline with black, buffing gray and brown tones underneath.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
To start, apply a base coat that's similar to your nails, and finish off by buffing in a milky white hue on the tips.
—Taylor Augustin Littlejohn, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
If the bloom's appearance bothers you, remove it by applying a small amount of oil, such as cooking oil or baby oil, to a soft cloth, then gently buffing it away in a circular motion.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Application involves lightly buffing the nail, applying the adhesive, and pressing each faux nail into place.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffing
Verb
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And after rubbing it in and brushing it through, this product leaves virtually no residue or gritty feeling.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
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Pruning saws are great for thinning Japanese maple or crepe myrtle branches that might be rubbing on each other, shooting in the wrong direction, or obstructing a walkway.—
Campbell Vaughn,
USA Today,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Remove all oil residue from the nail beds before polishing.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
24 Feb. 2026
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Harsh Chemicals and Abrasive Cleaners Avoid using harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners when cleaning and polishing wood flooring.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After drying and sanding, the pieces are sealed and painted with complex patterns, geometric designs, and Zapotec symbols.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
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But finishing work — sanding and shaping — generated heavy dust.—
Dr. Céline Gounder,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The luxurious Insolent Youth Serum works by deeply hydrating, smoothing fine lines, boosting skin regeneration and fighting signs of aging.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
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That’s why our testers—spanning a wide range of skin types, ages, and skin concerns—have spent months determining which products actually deliver on their fine-line-smoothing and dark-circle-erasing promises.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The most grinding suspicions encountered by many survivors—about whether they were ever really struck at all—may in any case be mooted in the coming years.—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
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For the best coffee, Edwards recommends grinding your own fresh roasted coffee beans at home that were roasted at least five days ago and using the coffee grounds within a few weeks.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That means filing a resident state income tax form for your home state with all your income sources and a nonresident tax return with only your employment income.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
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For example, individual filers can receive up to $994, couples filing jointly can receive $1,491, and those providing essential care to SSI recipients can receive up to $498.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Read our knife sharpening guide for guidance.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
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In a perfect world, this is the time of year the Knicks would be sharpening their edge.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffing. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.
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