unpolished

adjective

ˌən-ˈpä-lisht How to pronounce unpolished (audio)
Definition of unpolishednext
as in vulgar
lacking in refinement or good taste an unpolished but well-meaning young man

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 unpolished The establishment’s theory of the case has always been that popular insurgents are too risky, too unpolished, too outside the lane. — Tad Devine, Fortune, 7 July 2026 In terms of raw footballing skills, the right wing-back is still a bit unpolished and has a lot of developing to do. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 30 June 2026 Low-quality decor like plastic plants or cheap rugs can make a space feel cluttered and unpolished. — Jane Kim, The Spruce, 16 June 2026 That’s probably why this story feels too much like the work of an unpolished youth, full of shock value and peaks with few valleys of nuance. — Charles Lewis Iii, Mercury News, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unpolished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unpolished
  1. vulgar
  2. crass
  3. rude
  4. coarse
  5. rough
  6. common
  7. unrefined
  8. clumsy
Adjective
  • But the school’s dress code prohibits messages that are lewd, indecent, vulgar or profane.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Lonnie is loud, obnoxious, and vulgar in ways that rankle traditional golfers.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • To put it in its crassest terms, the story needs to come before the reporter.
    — K.J. Yossman, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, a crass and charismatic oil executive who’s called upon to help save the world after his company nearly destroys it.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 July 2026
Definition of crass
Adjective
  • Then off to the highway with you, up a mountain hill, in full control and at one with this rude, loud, hot machine.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Maybe your child or grandchild posted a rude comment in a group chat.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of rude
Adjective
  • Each one functions like a coarse grain of sand, eroding the certainties and stereotypes that harden racial discourse.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Below the top line, the picture is coarse, assembled on demand and trusted by few.
    — Udam Dewaraja, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of coarse
Adjective
  • The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has had a rough year, and in a cynical way, that makes for great TV.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
  • When the economy hits rougher patches, employers curtail hiring or tend to favor experienced workers, businesses lean more on technology to fill any labor gaps, and some consumers pull back on discretionary spending.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of rough
Adjective
  • While shootings involving indiscriminate killings are not common, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile shooting deaths in recent years.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The common spaces are places to linger, from the yellow parlor room to the quiet library.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of common
Adjective
  • Such tools helped the New York Yankees make stars out of two unrefined college players, right-hander Cam Schlittler, a seventh-rounder out of Northeastern, and first baseman Ben Rice, a 12th-rounder out of Dartmouth.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 24 June 2026
  • Lucas Blalock likewise finds tragicomic potential in photography itself, inverting Photoshop as a mere tool of postproduction to foreground it as generative and creative, leaving visible traces of labor in ugly edits and unrefined refinements.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026
Definition of unrefined
Adjective
  • The mistake leaders make is concluding that the person who looks uncertain or clumsy must have been the wrong choice.
    — Monica Cutia, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The second trickier and clumsier aside happens when Banderas’ chef tells Tony the tragedy of 17th century French cook François Vatel, who literally fell on his sword before serving a banquet to Louis XIV.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of clumsy

Browse Nearby Words

unpoetic
unpolished
unpolluted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unpolished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unpolished. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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