burnish 1 of 2

noun

Definition of burnishnext
as in gleam
brightness created by light reflected from a surface after some much-needed polishing, the silver tea set had a brilliant burnish

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

burnish

2 of 2

verb

ˈbər-nish How to pronounce burnish (audio)
as in to rub
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure burnished the floor of the ballroom to a soft luster

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of burnish
Noun
Fretting that the fabled bash was losing its luster, Guiducci ordered up some major burnishes. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026 The storytelling has an unfussy classical burnish that feels nicely scaled to its time and place. — Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 22 Dec. 2023
Verb
The moment is a test for the UAE government, which has burnished a reputation for building effective measures against extremist activities but also has bristled in the past over criticism of security lapses. — Sam Mednick, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 Chowdhury, who co-owns the BD Fresh Supermarket in Jamaica, Queens, targeted his victims to burnish his reputation and to defend the honor of his girlfriend-now-wife, Iffat Lubna — who was convicted in a separate trial in April. — John Annese, New York Daily News, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for burnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnish
  1. gleam
  2. rub
  3. glow
  4. polish
  5. shine
  6. smooth
  7. glint
  8. glare
Noun
  • The presence of the K-pop star and Coppolla, who was also the star of a Cartier Cinema Club session staged in the wake of the high jewelry reveal, gave a global gleam to the moment.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Many of us were not a gleam in our parents’ eyes when Monterey Pop took place.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of gleam
Verb
  • The discovery was made Wednesday in the Hickory Ridge area of east Charlotte, and responding officers report a man drenched in sweat tried to rub them down with garlic and bite them, according to an affidavit.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
  • True, but there are other issues that rubbed me the wrong way (sorry).
    — Valerie Monroe, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of rub
Noun
  • The cream creates a subtle glow and softens the skin, helping to smooth out those fine lines on the neck.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The familiar stars of Orion's Belt glisten to the right of McCollum's image, close to the glow of the Orion Nebula — one of the nearest major star forming regions to Earth.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of glow
Verb
  • The asymmetrical hemline of the sweater is right on trend and makes the whole look feel much more intentional, while the slouchy silhouette still looks polished enough for a coffee run after landing.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Almost all of them seemed empty, like houses closed for the season, but a handful had signs of life—crewmen at the railings, polishing the brightwork, as if getting ready to leave.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of polish
Noun
  • The emphasis is less on shine and more on natural texture, striking a balance between softness and luminosity.
    — Jeanne Ballion, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2026
  • My enjoyment now came from sitting back and watching her shine.
    — Diana Daniele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of shine
Verb
  • But so will filters offering subtle beautification effects — such as smoothing skin tone or adding a slight eye glow.
    — Chloe Veltman, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Together, these efforts can help smooth the often difficult path from the first unexplained symptoms to an accurate diagnosis, while reducing the risk of both misdiagnosis and unnecessary delays.
    — Bruce Bebo, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of smooth
Noun
  • And because water and most other liquids can’t persist on a planet’s surface without an insulating blanket of air, seeing such a glint could signal the presence of an atmosphere as well.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Now that the greige days are finally behind us, a glint of sparkle truly delights.
    — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of glint
Noun
  • The matte screen effectively fought off the glare from the open window in my row.
    — Allison Johnson, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
  • And the display has a matte finish, which reduces glare and doesn’t smudge easily.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of glare

Browse Nearby Words

burning (up)
burnish
burnished
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Cite this Entry

“Burnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnish. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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