as in gleam
brightness created by light reflected from a surface
after some much-needed polishing, the silver tea set had a brilliant burnish
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burnish
Sarah Jampel, Bon Appétit, 17 Dec. 2019
As each streetlamp passed, the burnish of its reflected light rolled up alongside them on the asphalt, like a dolphin curious about a new boat in her waters, and then veered away.
—Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Meghan signed with talent agency WME in April 2023, in hopes of burnishing her profile in the business.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burnish
Noun
The cream turns into a rich sauce and the cheese gets bubbly-brown; the greens towards the top burnish (kale chips!) but those underneath stay silky-soft.
—Sarah Jampel, Bon Appétit, 17 Dec. 2019
As each streetlamp passed, the burnish of its reflected light rolled up alongside them on the asphalt, like a dolphin curious about a new boat in her waters, and then veered away.
—Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Verb
He became known for poaching clients, extracting heroic sums for their work, and burnishing their reputations abroad.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Meghan signed with talent agency WME in April 2023, in hopes of burnishing her profile in the business.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for burnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnish
Noun
-
Wessels catches gleams to follow not only in magical tales but in twinkling memories, sparkling wordplay, the films of silver-screen star Veronica Lake, and his charm of a daughter, the inspiration of a half-dozen poems that take their titles from spells.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The total attendance figure for the 2025 season (4,012,470) gleams in blue on the bottom of the ring.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sara Aparacio, a resident cleaning expert at Homeaglow, equates scrubbing an appliance with an abrasive sponge to rubbing it with very fine sandpaper.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Blot — don’t rub — and avoid over-wetting the mattress, which can lead to mold growth if moisture gets trapped inside.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For one day only, a classic roadside pitstop will be transformed into a desert beauty destination, inviting guests to cruise through the brand's universe of color, glow and artistry through a series of interactive touch points.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
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When our own planet was eclipsing the sun, at least from the Artemis capsule’s point of view, the astronauts saw the agave-green milky glow of the solar atmosphere and its dust, visible around the moon.—
Rebecca Boyle,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The high-rise fit, chic cropped cut that hits above the ankle, and zip-front button closure read polished, especially in the darker wash (no whiskering or printing here).—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
8 Apr. 2026
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Their bestselling Regenerating Cleanser gently polishes away impurities and dullness to reveal a healthy-looking, radiant glow, clinically proven to make skin look brighter, smoother, more hydrated and pores look smaller.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Bieber updated her signature pearly nails with a vanilla French glaze for Easter—a milky take on classic French tips with just enough shine to feel festive.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Sandy shines, Marlins win to launch latest season of budget-ball // Sister Jean gone.—
Greg Cote
April 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hyaluronic acid and collagen help visibly hydrate and plump skin, smoothing the appearance of lines, crow’s feet and crepey texture for a flawless makeup look.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
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Lastly, there’s Suzanna, who mistakenly believes that Max can smooth everything over with a few white lies, and who is drawn to Andrew because his morality reminds her of her late father.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The bright glint to the left is Venus.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Sinners’spotential Oscar wins now signal the gravity of Black progress, within and beyond the industry; its potential Oscar losses carry a glint of cruelty.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Eclipses give solar scientists a rare chance to study the sun's wispy outer atmosphere, or corona, which is usually drowned out by the overwhelming glare of the solar disk.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
5 Apr. 2026
-
With any degree of glare the driving mode indications are difficult to read.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnish. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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