FURBISHING Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

furbishing

verb

present participle of furbish

as in polishing

to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure the warrior furbished his sword and shield so that they glinted in the sunlight

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Recent Examples of Synonyms for furbishing

Verb

Some jobs that previously relied on hand craftsmanship but can now be automated made the top 10, including patternmakers and grinding and polishing workers.

— Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Hyundai’s luxury brand Genesis has spent the last decade successfully polishing its image without becoming a major global name.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of polishing

Verb

One juror was rubbing his eyes as Sullivan talked, and another was clasping and unclasping his hands in his lap.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Danger, Olivo, and Mosco had just eaten by the gazebo and Damaris was rubbing her pup’s head goodnight, about to go into the shack.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of rubbing

Verb

Its stretchy, wireless design has extra coverage and smoothing side panels that create a cleaner silhouette without squeezing.

— Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
The formula includes lactic acid, a chemical exfoliator that breaks down dead skin, for a double dose of skin-smoothing power.

— Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of smoothing

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.

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furbishes

furbishing

furies

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“Furbishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furbishing. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of furbishing

verb

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