1
as in rubbing
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in finishing
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
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Recent Examples of polishing
At one point, convinced that one of the screenwriters who was on set polishing the script was leaking information to Weinstein, Scorsese rushed into the office and flung his desk out the window.
—
Brent Lang, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
Venus ends its Virgo run in your communication house, polishing your words with discernment.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 5 Oct. 2025
Over the course of the next 36 years, McNally returned to the script again and again, rewriting, restaging, refining and polishing it into something that eventually became one of Broadway’s biggest hits of 2014 and ’15.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
The students spend the semester writing and polishing a novel excerpt, memoir excerpt, or chapbook length collection of poetry.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Sep. 2025
After polishing, Stewart washes each piece with dish soap, rinses with lukewarm water, and dries immediately to prevent watermarks.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Getty Images Taking away this coating by polishing the statue would mean that the metal underneath would be thinner and weaker.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Silver Centerpieces For anyone who's ever gotten stuck polishing silver, there's good news.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
When growth takes off, there's often a temptation to start polishing everything.
—Mike Vietri, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Brent Lang, Variety, 22 Oct. 2025
Venus ends its Virgo run in your communication house, polishing your words with discernment.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 5 Oct. 2025
Over the course of the next 36 years, McNally returned to the script again and again, rewriting, restaging, refining and polishing it into something that eventually became one of Broadway’s biggest hits of 2014 and ’15.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
The students spend the semester writing and polishing a novel excerpt, memoir excerpt, or chapbook length collection of poetry.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Sep. 2025
After polishing, Stewart washes each piece with dish soap, rinses with lukewarm water, and dries immediately to prevent watermarks.
—Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025
Getty Images Taking away this coating by polishing the statue would mean that the metal underneath would be thinner and weaker.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Silver Centerpieces For anyone who's ever gotten stuck polishing silver, there's good news.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
When growth takes off, there's often a temptation to start polishing everything.
—Mike Vietri, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polishing
Verb
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That also includes light touch on your scalp from brushing your hair, the sensation of rubbing a blanket over your body, or feeling a breeze brush against your skin.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
4 Nov. 2025
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There seemed to be little ambiguity as to the nature of their connection, as Curtis was spotted rubbing the actress' shoulders, and Aniston was later seen with her hand in his hand.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Colorist Society has long been advocating for the role of the color finishing artist champions the new credit category.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
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Angel Reese shows us that a black sequin mini can never go wrong, finishing the look with a dramatic cape moment.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Spanx Supersmooth Perfect Fit Ponte Micro Flare Pant Speaking of smoothing, these dress pants have compression from waist to knee and a subtle flare leg — like your favorite yoga pants but office appropriate.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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Hyaluronic acid attracts and retains moisture within each hair fiber, glycerin locks in hydration while smoothing the cuticle, and dimethicone helps detangle and create a sleek, polished finish.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At one point, the Badgers went nearly two quarters without completing a pass.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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One week after completing the biggest comeback in school history to knock off Western Colorado, the ThunderWolves set a new standard.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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These provide enough force for buffing out scratches without further damaging the surface.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
19 Sep. 2025
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Instead, Bungie rolled out a TWAB last week that was nerfing player progression instead of buffing it.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Personal data removal services can help reduce your exposure by scrubbing this information from hundreds of these sites.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Simply soak a fresh sheet in water for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing away.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Polishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polishing. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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