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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of buffing
Eyuel Tafesse, room operations manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, finishes by lightly buffing cabinets, desks, and drawers to create a soft sheen, often using a polish with a subtle lemon scent that makes the room feel warmer.
—
Colleen Sullivan, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026
Keep one slightly damp microfiber cloth for cleaning and one dry microfiber cloth for buffing.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Ngo coats the nail with a matte primer, which creates a smooth base, before buffing eye shadow across the surface with a nail sponge.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 27 Apr. 2026
These provide enough force for buffing out scratches without further damaging the surface.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 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
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
To soften the color, sheer out the formula by buffing excess product onto the back your hand before applying to the face.
—Erin Lassner, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Colleen Sullivan, Martha Stewart, 2 May 2026
Keep one slightly damp microfiber cloth for cleaning and one dry microfiber cloth for buffing.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Ngo coats the nail with a matte primer, which creates a smooth base, before buffing eye shadow across the surface with a nail sponge.
—Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 27 Apr. 2026
These provide enough force for buffing out scratches without further damaging the surface.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 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
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
To soften the color, sheer out the formula by buffing excess product onto the back your hand before applying to the face.
—Erin Lassner, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffing
Verb
-
Pettis took out a paper towel and began rubbing the paints together on the easel.—
Mary Divine,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2026
-
Also, avoid rubbing the scent onto your skin, as this degrades the fragrance.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
Verb
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While rivals like the Tacoma and Colorado constantly reinvent themselves, Nissan tends to take the long road by refining, tweaking, and polishing instead of blowing everything up every few years.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 May 2026
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Various owners have taken the reins over the years, but all were committed to preserving the bar’s old-school character rather than polishing, upgrading, or updating it away.—
Skye Sherman,
Southern Living,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Embrace the act of adding to a work table's patina, let your copper sit on display, and don't worry about sanding and re-staining old wood.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The technique still needs sanding, and zero interceptions in 48 career games is concerning, but McCutchin’s combine testing gave his draft case a nice shot of nitrous.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Duffy has said the system could help planners spot problems weeks in advance, smoothing schedules before delays begin to stack up.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
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The smoothing fabric is flattering at the waist and thighs, and the flare bottoms provide just enough of a pop of style to make these jeans fun, but still appropriate for just about any setting.—
Taylor Fox,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Whereas most of his teammates got their start playing high school and college ball, Natty began by grinding it out in the Northern California mountain town of Lake Tahoe, the Washington Nationals said in a news release.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
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Begin by gently grinding the tip of your dog’s nails, being careful not to grind too much or too quickly and keeping the grinder at a slight angle to avoid the quick.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing.—
Adisa Hargett-Robinson,
The Washington Examiner,
10 May 2026
-
Anyone filing a 2025 tax return had an opportunity to file a Form 4547, but millions of low-income Americans don’t file tax returns.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
The campaigns themselves continued sharpening those contrasts after the debate ended.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
According to Plunge, cold-water immersion triggers norepinephrine, a chemical messenger that delivers a burst of energy while sharpening focus.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffing. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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