as in polishing
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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Recent Examples of burnishing
The Wolverines lost to Duke, burnishing the Blue Devils’ resume.
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
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
And Willard’s overt emphasis on velocity led to serious gains in Boston, with the Red Sox burnishing their reputation for pitching development during his two years there.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The legacy of the Milan Cortina Winter Games is both physical, in new facilities and infrastructure, and intangible, burnishing Milan’s global image.
—Colleen Barry, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Most notably, Paxton led numerous legal challenges against the Biden administration over immigration and border policies, often succeeding and burnishing his credentials as a conservative crusader.
—Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Most notably, Paxton led numerous legal challenges against the previous Joe Biden administration over immigration and border policies, often succeeding and burnishing his credentials as a conservative crusader.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
In addition to burnishing your skills, working with a ski pro also gives you insider knowledge about the resort, Docken added.
—Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
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
And Willard’s overt emphasis on velocity led to serious gains in Boston, with the Red Sox burnishing their reputation for pitching development during his two years there.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The legacy of the Milan Cortina Winter Games is both physical, in new facilities and infrastructure, and intangible, burnishing Milan’s global image.
—Colleen Barry, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Most notably, Paxton led numerous legal challenges against the Biden administration over immigration and border policies, often succeeding and burnishing his credentials as a conservative crusader.
—Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Most notably, Paxton led numerous legal challenges against the previous Joe Biden administration over immigration and border policies, often succeeding and burnishing his credentials as a conservative crusader.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
In addition to burnishing your skills, working with a ski pro also gives you insider knowledge about the resort, Docken added.
—Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnishing
Verb
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After 10 to 20 passes, repeat the same process on the ceramic polishing rods, if the sharpener has them.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
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The program acts almost like a navigation map for individuals intent on entering the sector, from polishing resumes to grasping industry dynamics.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
-
People also can catch typhus by breathing in flea dirt or rubbing it into their eyes, the agency said.—
Don Sweeney
April 8,
Sacbee.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wire-free and closure-free construction for comfort with wide smoothing back and sides.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Not to mention, they’re made with 360-degree tummy control, waist-definition, and a back-smoothing design.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnishing. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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