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
Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Perhaps the open roasting caused the sugar to caramelize, adding a slightly bitter burnish that mitigated the awful sweetness.
—Mimi Sheraton, The Seattle Times, 25 Sep. 2018
David Aldridge, New York Times, 22 June 2025
His skin, a firm Sicilian fawn in the coldest months, was burnished to a fine copper hue after a long summer of early-morning runs and late-afternoon beers.
—Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for burnish
Noun
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
Perhaps the open roasting caused the sugar to caramelize, adding a slightly bitter burnish that mitigated the awful sweetness.
—Mimi Sheraton, The Seattle Times, 25 Sep. 2018
Verb
Three writers for The Athletic were there on that fateful night, a night that paused a dynasty, burnished a legend and changed the course of the NBA.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 22 June 2025
His skin, a firm Sicilian fawn in the coldest months, was burnished to a fine copper hue after a long summer of early-morning runs and late-afternoon beers.
—Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for burnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnish
Noun
-
Fitzgerald understood this long before multidistrict litigation was a gleam in a judge’s eye.—
Aron Solomon
June 24,
Literary Hub,
24 June 2025
-
The wooden floors of the 129-year-old building gleam with fresh polish.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
9 May 2025
Verb
-
While the two were embracing, Hughes gently rubbed Siwa's belly, fueling the pregnancy rumors.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
11 July 2025
-
That reportedly rubbed him the wrong way and paved the path for his departure from Phoenix this offseason.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Now my house is awash with the LED glow of charging bulbs that are just waiting for the next power outage to do their trick.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
10 July 2025
-
The image also shows the glow of Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston to the northeast, with Torreón, Mexico, to the southwest.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
Define swim lanes for each spokesperson, and then polish the narrative for each.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Most high school seniors applying to selective colleges this fall don’t need a lot of advice on how to polish their personal essay or list extracurriculars.—
Gerald Bradshaw,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
Leo season gives us a chance to self-prioritize, stand out, and find our inner shine again.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 July 2025
-
With featured guests including superstars SZA and Doja Cat, Lizzo goes for the jugular throughout her radical mixtape to excoriate exes, doubters, haters and anyone else trying to dim her shine.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
These pre-soaked exfoliating pads use gentle lactic acid and the brand’s Tri-Enzyme technology to smooth rough patches, fade dark spots, and give your skin that post-facial glow.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
8 July 2025
-
Betteridge speculated that Khloé had received several enhancements, including a temporal brow lift to elevate the outer brow, upper blepharoplasty to smooth the eyelids, and a chin implant.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Great Parks Spark in the Dark Illuminate the night by floating on glowing boats as the water glints and gleams.—
Caroline Ritzie,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
-
The man opened his hand, and the stadium lights reflected, at last, on a glint of silver.—
Jason Anthony,
The Atlantic,
14 June 2025
Noun
-
The cosmic duo will be visible for around two and a half hours before the glare of the rising sun hides the Pleiades from view.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
4 July 2025
-
With a full understanding about both the financial stakes and the glare of a national spotlight, Tucker has avoided the distractions that could have derailed his performance.—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnish. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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