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 somber atmospherics and satisfying weightiness allowed Dudamel to show off his new ensemble’s soloists and sections, which have prepped for his arrival by burnishing their sonic gold.
—
Justin Davidson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Sharon details how this squad helps Anthropic’s business, too, burnishing its reputation as the AI lab that cares the most about AI safety and perhaps winning it a more receptive ear in the corridors of power.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Daniella Pierson has cozied up to everyone from Diane von Furstenberg to Selena Gomez, burnishing her image as her businesses unraveled.
—Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Justin Davidson, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Sharon details how this squad helps Anthropic’s business, too, burnishing its reputation as the AI lab that cares the most about AI safety and perhaps winning it a more receptive ear in the corridors of power.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Daniella Pierson has cozied up to everyone from Diane von Furstenberg to Selena Gomez, burnishing her image as her businesses unraveled.
—Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnishing
Verb
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Venus ends its Virgo run in your communication house, polishing your words with discernment.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
5 Oct. 2025
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Over the course of the next 36 years, McNally returned to the script again and again, rewriting, restaging, refining and polishing it into something that eventually became one of Broadway’s biggest hits of 2014 and ’15.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Some customers have even shared some DIY remedies online, such as rubbing coconut oil into the holes of the CloudTec midsole, focusing on areas where the squeaking is worse, including the heel and midfoot.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
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There’s a swagger to his game (ask Erik Gudbranson, who was ticked off at the Wild center rubbing his delay of game penalty in).—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This bra has wide straps, side-smoothing panels, and an allover stretchy fit — sans wires poking you in the ribcage.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
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Truly, the gadget is that girl — capable of smoothing, de-frizzing, and adding effortless bounce to your locks while granting damage-free curls thanks to Shark’s Coanda technology (which automatically wraps strands around the barrel, saving you the time and hassle of DIYing it).—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnishing. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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