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unvarnished

adjective

ˌən-ˈvär-nisht How to pronounce unvarnished (audio)
Definition of unvarnishednext
as in simple
free from all additions or embellishment I'm telling the unvarnished truth

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 unvarnished The acclaimed writer Rachel Cusk’s controversial new novel Life of M is an intimate, unvarnished character study of an A-list movie star who is depicted as hollow, immature and cynical, an intellectual poseur and an artist wannabe. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 19 Aug. 2026 To be sure, putting our unvarnished, authentic selves on display can feel intimidating, but audiences respond well to it, and this approach can allow for meaningful connection and influence. — Matt Abrahams, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 Her unvarnished, heartsore turn as a woman unprepared to be the face of a movement, but shouldering that responsibility anyway, gives this otherwise stoic affair a nervy, sensitive spine. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 July 2026 This was 1872, and the pious (and patronizing) commentators of the time muttered that Damien’s unvarnished personality was due to his simple farm upbringing in rural Belgium. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unvarnished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unvarnished
  1. simple
  2. plain
  3. unadorned
  4. naked
Adjective
  • During the recent session, Soto taught people how to make coils for teardrop designs along with other simple shapes.
    — Janice Neumann, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The simplest distinction is powered flight versus unpowered glide.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • In plain terms, Connecticut had to build the gas plants and therefore absorbed the emissions and the construction costs, and shipped most of the electricity to other states.
    — Joe McGee, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026
  • In plain English, data centers are enormous buildings full of computers running around the clock.
    — Kam Shenai, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of plain
Adjective
  • In true Joycean fashion, Ironweed wants both symbolism and naturalism, the elevated language of heaven’s vaults alongside the unadorned details of bodily filth.
    — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Heavy and unadorned, this simple slab of metal makes delicious pizza pies that are crispy and crusty in all the right places.
    — Adam Campbell-Schmitt, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of unadorned
Adjective
  • The pocket-sized UV flashlight can detect what the naked eye can’t, including dry urine stains, bed bugs, scorpions, and more.
    — Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Publicity stills showed two hot young men in their mid-twenties facing each other’s sweaty, naked torsos, their foreheads touching and their eyes closed, their lips only inches apart.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of naked

Browse Nearby Words

unvaried
unvarnished
unvarying
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unvarnished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unvarnished. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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