as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the action of the water will serve to gloss the seal's coat
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Recent Examples of glossing
The easy-to-use glossing treatment, which should be applied to damp hair and followed by a blow dryer to activate the frizz-fighting alpha acids, is a semi-permanent smoothing spray that basically creates a water-resistant shield to prevent flyaways—even in the most humid of places.
—
Eva Thomas, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
Critchley, glossing Julian of Norwich, draws a distinction between seeing and seeing through creation, but this is a false dichotomy.
—Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The downside was often a glossing-over of the tactics used to amass such fortunes.
—Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025
Eva Thomas, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
Critchley, glossing Julian of Norwich, draws a distinction between seeing and seeing through creation, but this is a false dichotomy.
—Christian Wiman, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
The downside was often a glossing-over of the tactics used to amass such fortunes.
—Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 3 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for glossing
Verb
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Another highlight of my visit was experiencing Bastien's Manicure, an in-spa collaboration with nail-care specialists Bastien Gonzalez, which pairs meticulous cuticle work and a thorough massage with a natural nail-polishing technique that eliminates the need for nail polish entirely.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 May 2026
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There’s the difficulty of sintering and polishing the ceramic, and then there’s maintaining the purity of the look.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Speaking of harnesses, fliers put on a base layer like compression shorts to protect from rubbing, and costume designer Ryan Park designed clothes to hide and accommodate the harnesses.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
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Cholowsky wrapped both his arms around the boy and lowered his head onto the crown of the blue helmet, absentmindedly rubbing his back.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Verb
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In addition to hydrating hair and combating dryness, this mask is fantastic for smoothing frizz and making hair more manageable.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
Glamour,
29 May 2026
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As its name suggests, Naturium’s Retinol Complex Serum contains line-smoothing retinol, plumping vitamin E, and firming bakuchiol.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Glossing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glossing. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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