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japanning

verb

present participle of japan
as in varnishing

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for japanning
  1. varnishing
  2. coating
  3. polishing
  4. burnishing
  5. rubbing
  6. glossing
  7. shining
  8. buffing
Verb
  • Like most ’80s metal heroes who briefly lost their way in the late ’90s, Megadeth have spent the 21st century varnishing their legacy with what’s tried and true, delivering eight LPs since 2001 that all basically sound the same.
    — Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 26 Jan. 2026
Definition of varnishing
Verb
  • Because the coating is already on the coil, manufacturers may be able to reduce reliance on external lubrication and additional e-coating processes.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
  • People wrote messages in the dust coating the windows of buildings.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of coating
Verb
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh even got hands-on experience shaping and polishing a quartz gemstone.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Before Bay Area readers start polishing their debate trophies, remember these studies are conversation starters, not final verdicts.
    — James Ward, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of polishing
Verb
  • The Obama Presidential Center opening June 18 also bodes well for tourism, both in burnishing the city’s image and creating a new attraction to draw domestic and international visitors to Chicago, Reynolds said.
    — Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
  • Murdaugh’s father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather were each elected as top prosecutors in the region, burnishing a family reputation that eventually crumbled.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Definition of burnishing
Verb
  • As far as technique, pressing is gentler on dry skin than rubbing or dragging.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Among other things, Noohu accused showrunner Ed Brubaker of rubbing his back and of making comments about running his hands through Noohu’s hair.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of rubbing
Verb
  • 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
Definition of glossing
Verb
  • When the collards are fully grown but still rooted in the ground, with the sunlight shining above, the crop’s veins appear plum-colored, with large indigo-green leaves.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Serendipity in the form of misfortune is shining on the Democratic Party’s electoral prospects.
    — Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of shining
Verb
  • If the copper is heavily tarnished, let the toothpaste’s active ingredients work on the patina for ten minutes or so before buffing.
    — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Classes and skills lean into different styles of play; Astromech droids are entirely support-focused, generating AP (action points) and buffing the party, while the Assault is focused on heavy damage and drawing aggro.
    — Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of buffing
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.

Browse Nearby Words

japanned
japanning
japans
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Cite this Entry

“Japanning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/japanning. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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