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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of polishing
Its style was in many ways a refinement of the final run of Diablos, smoothing and polishing the old car’s edges while adding strength and modernity to the design.
—
Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025
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
Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2025
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
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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Get your baker friend a full-sized one for smoothing buttercream over cakes, and a mini one for more precise tasks.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Nov. 2025
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It’s designed with side-smoothing panels, separated cups, and wide, adjustable straps.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 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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Suede Suede is a soft, velvety-feeling type of leather with a matte finish, created by buffing the inner surface of animal hide.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
9 Nov. 2025
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Gatlin recommends starting by buffing off the shiny layer of polish.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Now, industry eyerolling at the thought of listening faster has existed since the majority of audio storytelling moved from terrestrial radio—where there’s no skipping, scrubbing forward or backward, and certainly no way to speed things up—to podcasting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Somebody is in the kitchen scrubbing your cast-iron pan with dish soap.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Polishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/polishing. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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