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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of polished
Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, Jesse Jackson’s story is the quintessentially American one — a narrative of magnificent contradictions that refuse to be flattened into a simple, polished eulogy.
—Glenn Eden, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
Alison Syrett Cleary, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2026
The finish is polished rather than dramatic.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polished
Adjective
Finally, two layers of foil are rolled together in the mill—the side that touches the roller is polished and shiny, and the other is dull, which is why there are two sides of foil.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
Ultimately, Jesse Jackson’s story is the quintessentially American one — a narrative of magnificent contradictions that refuse to be flattened into a simple, polished eulogy.
—Glenn Eden, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
Verb
All of these dresses would play nicely with a blazer or a light sweater, but are also polished enough to wear all on their own.
—Alison Syrett Cleary, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2026
The finish is polished rather than dramatic.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polished
Adjective
-
Lighter shades will elevate and pair nicely with a white button-down shirt, for example, while a dark gray jean offers an edgy vibe when mixed with a sleek black top and leather handbag.—
Alexandre Marain,
Glamour,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Ivy Bronx Kegley Outdoor LED Wall Light This sleek outdoor light has a matte black finish and provides a warm, ambient glow to illuminate backyards, driveways, or patios.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Marty is not cultured, colorful and neurotic with a penchant for Yiddish outbursts.—
David Colman,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Feb. 2026
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Buttermilk Buttermilk may contain probiotics, although this is more commonly found in traditional buttermilk rather than cultured buttermilk, which is more widely available in stores.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The beach was filled with stones that had been smoothed to perfect ovals and circles by thousands of years of being tossed by the sea, some gray and striated with pure white, and others that when wet were the color of emeralds.—
Nicole Krauss,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
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Over the years, the late Queen had repeatedly smoothed Andrew’s way in life.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Herro, who has now played as a reserve in his first four games back after returning from a rib injury following the NBA All-Star break, finished Thursday’s loss with 25 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
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Bathrooms are finished in gray granite with Le Labo Santal 33 amenities and Dyson hair dryers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Place the pie plate directly on the heated stone or skillet and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the sides are set and the bottom looks dry and matte, not glossy.—
Monti Carlo,
AJC.com,
27 Feb. 2026
-
The high heel and horsebit combo could also be found as part of a glossy reptilian knee-high boot.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Both expect their rivalry to stay civilized.—
Pien Huang,
NPR,
17 Feb. 2026
-
And that was the one that ended up being a really civilized breakup.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That rubbed City fans up the wrong way, especially as many were not too happy with his performances anyway.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Their ice maker expelled large clumps of wet salt, which, when rubbed, dissolved into an oily, foul-smelling substance.—
Nick Bowlin,
The Frontier,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Giving families tools to improve reading at home Before Juri Sleet completed her literacy screening at age 3, her grandmother, Quintina Davis, worried Juri didn’t have enough opportunities for early learning.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
26 Feb. 2026
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Construction is expected to begin in early March and be completed by December 2026, according to the Port of San Diego.—
Walker Armstrong,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Polished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polished. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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