as in simple
free from all additions or embellishment
I'm telling the unvarnished truth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 unvarnished
After a November 2025 hearing, Glenn Harris called Oklahoma Watch to offer his unvarnished opinion of guardianship judges.
—
Jc Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 22 Mar. 2026
There’s no denying Gordon’s bona fides (disheveled noise-rocker, riot-grrl signal amplifier, fashion designer, unvarnished solo artist, cultural commentator), but none of that really prepares you for PLAY ME’s jarring, juddering audio verite.
—Jason Pettigrew, SPIN, 9 Mar. 2026
Bertinelli, at 65 and perennially adorable in a beret, glasses and comfy striped sweater, is chatting from her bedroom, sipping from a mug and sharing unvarnished insights about love, self-acceptance and moving beyond traumas that might otherwise define us.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
The exchange underscored the unvarnished, anything-goes nature of the podcast, which appears designed to feel more like friends hanging out than a polished production.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unvarnished
Jc Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 22 Mar. 2026
There’s no denying Gordon’s bona fides (disheveled noise-rocker, riot-grrl signal amplifier, fashion designer, unvarnished solo artist, cultural commentator), but none of that really prepares you for PLAY ME’s jarring, juddering audio verite.
—Jason Pettigrew, SPIN, 9 Mar. 2026
Bertinelli, at 65 and perennially adorable in a beret, glasses and comfy striped sweater, is chatting from her bedroom, sipping from a mug and sharing unvarnished insights about love, self-acceptance and moving beyond traumas that might otherwise define us.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
The exchange underscored the unvarnished, anything-goes nature of the podcast, which appears designed to feel more like friends hanging out than a polished production.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unvarnished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unvarnished
Adjective
-
Styles for men and women are available -- all with Allbirds design philosophy that's clean, modern and perfectly simple -- lightweight, bouncy and wildly comfortable.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
On April 18, that reverence will look like music, laughter and a line of people waiting for something hot out of the fryer — a simple plate carrying stories from across the world, all landing in one place.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
These stories make plain the bodily harm that crew members have routinely risked, and how these workers—whose enthusiasm for their work and for cinema itself is palpable—consider a profession whose hazards are not only physical but also psychological, professional, and familial.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Here is the idea in plain terms.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Babur writes in a direct, unadorned Chagatai prose that contrasts sharply with the ornate Persian chancellery style of courtiers.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The website operates without flashy graphics, partisan commentary, eyeball-grabbing videos, or the snark characteristic of partisan political media, instead presenting headlines and summaries in plain, unadorned fashion.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The image was captured through the window of the Orion spacecraft on Monday evening as the Artemis II crew conducted a flyby of the moon — becoming the first humans to see some parts of the moon's far side with the naked eye and traveling farther from Earth than any other humans in history.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Often nearly invisible to the naked eye, microplastics have insidiously found their way into people’s lungs, arterial plaques and brains through food, air and water, researchers have found.—
Kate Nishimura,
Footwear News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unvarnished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unvarnished. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
