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
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
For most of DeSantis’ term, the state has been governed his desire to serve the needs of the wealthy elite while burnishing his credentials as an audacious renegade.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026
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
For most of DeSantis’ term, the state has been governed his desire to serve the needs of the wealthy elite while burnishing his credentials as an audacious renegade.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnishing
Verb
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Remove all oil residue from the nail beds before polishing.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Harsh Chemicals and Abrasive Cleaners Avoid using harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners when cleaning and polishing wood flooring.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He is accused of touching the girl’s genitals and rubbing her thighs.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
-
And Webb, rubbing his hands together, is best suited to use him.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hospitals that implemented smoothing elective admissions have reported millions of dollars in additional annual revenue.—
Eugene Litvak,
STAT,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The end result is a lotion that hydrates while also preventing breakouts and smoothing rough texture over time.—
Hana Hong,
Glamour,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnishing. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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