1
as in accomplishment
a high level of taste and enlightenment as a result of extensive intellectual training and exposure to the arts
acquired a great deal of polish during his year abroad
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in gleam
brightness created by light reflected from a surface
buffed the silver plate to a high polish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to rub
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
you'll need to polish your shoes with a clean rag before the performance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to finish
to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done
once you polish the article a bit, it'll be ready to submit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of polish
Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2026
D’Orsay flats lengthen the silhouette with a crisp line, while Mary Janes introduce a contemporary nuance and slingbacks finish off an outfit with polish.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2026
Alex Sales, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2026
Grab your wands and polish your broomsticks, because Hogwarts is calling.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polish
Noun
For a little girl, bangs allow for easy style, and bring a bit of polish.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 31 Mar. 2026
D’Orsay flats lengthen the silhouette with a crisp line, while Mary Janes introduce a contemporary nuance and slingbacks finish off an outfit with polish.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
The mix feels polished without pushing too much.
—Alex Sales, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2026
Grab your wands and polish your broomsticks, because Hogwarts is calling.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polish
Noun
-
An Easter bunny stood beside the president, unblinking, as the president detailed his accomplishments.—
Maura Judkis,
Washington Post,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Hannah also had her own list of athletic accomplishments.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Wessels catches gleams to follow not only in magical tales but in twinkling memories, sparkling wordplay, the films of silver-screen star Veronica Lake, and his charm of a daughter, the inspiration of a half-dozen poems that take their titles from spells.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The total attendance figure for the 2025 season (4,012,470) gleams in blue on the bottom of the ring.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mona says, rub her down with alcohol, then some Vicks, put the kettle on for the hot water bottle.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Nakua discussed touchdown celebrations on YouTuber Adin Ross' stream, and, in the video, Ross instructed Nakua to spike the ball, flex and then rub his hands together.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Horned Frogs finished the season 23-12 with a program high 11 wins in the Big 12.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Michigan finished the job, punctuating a remarkable two-year turnaround for May, who arrived at Michigan in 2024 after taking Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023.—
Justin Williams,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This phase is designed to address deficiencies identified during initial operations, complete technical refinements, and implement maintenance or system adjustments before the platform transitions into a regular deployment cycle.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The update includes refinements to system performance and bug fixes.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Sinners’spotential Oscar wins now signal the gravity of Black progress, within and beyond the industry; its potential Oscar losses carry a glint of cruelty.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Ford, Fiat Chrysler, EVs were a glint in their eye, as the saying goes, at the time.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hyaluronic acid and collagen help visibly hydrate and plump skin, smoothing the appearance of lines, crow’s feet and crepey texture for a flawless makeup look.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Lastly, there’s Suzanna, who mistakenly believes that Max can smooth everything over with a few white lies, and who is drawn to Andrew because his morality reminds her of her late father.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Only Apollo 13 completed a full free return, and that was forced by not knowing the status of the service module's engine after a mid-flight explosion.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Thanks to a meticulous $15 million renovation completed in 2020, the rooms and suites received a welcome facelift.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polish. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
