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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for glossing
Verb
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With just over a month before the FIFA World Cup, Downtown Dallas is polishing, planning, and preparing for what could be one of the busiest stretches the city has ever seen.—
Steve Pickett,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
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Remove the stain by simply polishing it.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As the court moved to watch the KSTU-TV segment, Tyler Robinson appeared to begin fidgeting, with one of his hands moving and rubbing his fingers back and forth.—
Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
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Sara Aparacio, a resident cleaning expert at Homeaglow, equates scrubbing an appliance with an abrasive sponge to rubbing it with very fine sandpaper.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Unlike many mineral sunscreens that can sit heavily on the skin, this one absorbs quickly and has a lightweight, smoothing effect.—
Brigitt Earley,
Glamour,
24 Apr. 2026
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But smoothing the appearance of fine lines around your eyes does not require a 12-step regimen or an appointment at the dermatologist’s office.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Glossing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glossing. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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