burnishing

verb

present participle of burnish
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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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 burnishing The Obama Presidential Center opening June 18 also bodes well for tourism, both in burnishing the city’s image and creating a new attraction to draw domestic and international visitors to Chicago, Reynolds said. — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 Murdaugh’s father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather were each elected as top prosecutors in the region, burnishing a family reputation that eventually crumbled. — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 13 May 2026 Shapiro brushed off questions — and Republican criticism — about burnishing his credentials for a White House run. — CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnishing
  1. polishing
  2. rubbing
  3. smoothing
Verb
  • Sangare is not the finished product, but Brentford’s track record of finding and polishing young players with high potential casts this move in a promising light.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Born into a Krymchak Jewish family in Haifa and raised poor in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Bakshi entered the animation industry at just 18, polishing dirt from cels at Terrytoons.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of polishing
Verb
  • For someone with a flexible foot or a narrow forefoot where the toes tend to crowd each other, separating the big toe from the second toe can reduce rubbing and irritation.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The forward has also trademarked his nickname ‘Cold Palmer’, a nod to his celebration, crossing and rubbing his arms as though to warm himself up.
    — Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of rubbing
Verb
  • Instead of a pomade stick, Tauber recommends using Oribe Gel Sérum on coils, applying a generous amount around the hairline before smoothing it back with a boar bristle brush.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The combination bristles feel amazing on my scalp (like the best head scratch ever) while also smoothing my incredibly frizzy hair.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of smoothing

Browse Nearby Words

burnishes
burnishing
burn one's ears
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Cite this Entry

“Burnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnishing. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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