1
as in sleek
having a shiny surface or finish
she could see her face reflected in the polished hood of the car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cultured
having or showing a taste for the fine arts and gracious living
showing the polished manners of a cosmopolitan woman
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in smoothed
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 finished
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of polished
Solo Ceesay, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
This is especially true among younger professionals who are looking for a polished, yet distinctive look.
—Advertorial, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026
Flaws and excess bronze are polished away.
—Teagan Wolter, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polished
Adjective
The result is a flood of polished-but-generic applications that all sound the same.
—Solo Ceesay, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
This is especially true among younger professionals who are looking for a polished, yet distinctive look.
—Advertorial, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
They are polished effortlessly and exactly the kind of shoes that work from day to night.
—Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 17 Mar. 2026
Flaws and excess bronze are polished away.
—Teagan Wolter, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polished
Adjective
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Equally as cute are these sleek blue denim mules that will infuse texture into your everyday ‘fits.—
Isabel Bekele,
InStyle,
12 Apr. 2026
-
These stunning designs can showcase the surrounding landscape or draw attention to striking features like a sleek fence or a bold front door color.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
So, their musicianship is deeper and more cultured, and the techniques are shared.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The syrupy sweetness brought to mind a pancake, while the faintly cultured cheese turned it savory.—
Cesar Hernandez,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The looming canyon nearly obscures sunlight, and sinuous, layered stone reveals warm burgundy, grey, and violet striations smoothed by centuries of flooding.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
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Fronting the glittering waters of the Atlantic, the Louis XIII-style promenade is currently undergoing a multi-million-dollar renewal, its granite tiles buffed and smoothed, vegetation planted, and its sea lions by sculptor José Fioravanti returned to their former glory.—
Siobhan Reid,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As in the game where the loser’s season is finished, left to instead to stare for weeks at miniscule draft-lottery odds.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Hoby Milner, Ben Brown (two innings) and Hunter Harvey finished the five-hitter.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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With glossy green foliage and showy, fragrant spring blooms, Bright 'N Tight™ is a smaller, more compact version of the species.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
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There are glossy publications, like The European Conservative, and online sites like Remix News, which details alleged crimes committed by migrants in Europe.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In Raspail’s tale, hordes of impoverished and dark-skinned brutes from India descend onto French shores by way of rafts, the first wave of an invasion of the civilized West by the brown-skinned developing world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
-
One does detect in Iran hawks a kind of 'will to destruction' and hatred of boring, civilized diplomacy.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
UConn’s success, coupled with Hurley’s personality, has rubbed more than a few folks the wrong way.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
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After a half-hour of this, Didier emptied out much of the salt and vigorously rubbed the interior of the pan with a kitchen towel.—
Jeffrey Steingarten,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Miami Hurricanes are a little more than halfway through their spring practice schedule, having completed nine of 15 practices.—
Andre Fernandez,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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As in those cities, drone deliveries in Atlanta will be completed using Wing’s drones.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Polished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polished. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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