as in to polish
to cover (something) with varnish
He varnished the table.
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Recent Examples of varnish
News Desk, Artforum, 6 Feb. 2025
Red and brown cliffs, varnished by thousands of years of high-desert weather, towered on either side of me.
—Derek M. Norman, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Step aboard, inhale new-boat varnish and debate stateroom layouts.
—Eric Barton, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for varnish
Verb
Both works underwent conservation at Harvard, with conservators Ellen Davis and Kate Smith noting that Two Human Beings had at one point been varnished, in a move inconsistent with Munch’s practice, and that Train Smoke had accumulated atmospheric grime and was in need of paint stabilization.
—News Desk, Artforum, 6 Feb. 2025
Red and brown cliffs, varnished by thousands of years of high-desert weather, towered on either side of me.
—Derek M. Norman, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
Refinish the door with stain or varnish that matches the rest of the kitchen cabinet doors.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Step aboard, inhale new-boat varnish and debate stateroom layouts.
—Eric Barton, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for varnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for varnish
Verb
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Set the scene Set on a leafy corner of Recoleta, close enough to the action but removed from the tourist hubbub, Sofitel is polished without being stuffy, the kind of place where everyone looks put-together even at breakfast.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Many are polished enough to appear legitimate at first glance.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, her under-eyes were embellished using a brightening concealer and her lips were coated in a pink gloss.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
9 Feb. 2026
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There’s only so much that ceremonial gloss can accomplish.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Diners here can feast upon things like duck fat frites for brunch and espresso-rubbed steaks for dinner.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
-
With the moody Moon in your 7th House of Partnership opposing cautious Chiron in your committed sign, mixed signals may rub sensitive spots.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Congress was sidelined, independent media was suppressed, and opponents were detained, all under a veneer of legal authority.—
Alejandro Reyes,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Some reviewers, including Artforum’s, were unimpressed with these layers of baroque exegesis, viewing them as a veneer—edgy but not embedded.—
Rachel Wetzler,
Artforum,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Appealing Venus is parading into your 6th House of Habits, bringing sweetness to routines and smoothing dynamics, which suits a diplomatic style of handling events.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Feb. 2026
-
To smooth the transition, start making changes earlier in the day, Popp suggested.—
Jamie Ducharme,
Health,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The approach allows a single sheet of material to perform multiple functions at once, including adaptive camouflage, information encryption and decryption, and shape morphing.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Jean’s designs produced by the Vitalini sportswear company, founded by former Alpine ski champion Pietro Vitalini, embed visuals that nod to the foundation of the Haitian Republic set against a botanical camouflage, drawn from the work of renowned Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sustainable battery design To develop the carbon spheres, Elsaesser and his research team drew inspiration from Mozartkugeln, the iconic Austrian confections made of pistachio, marzipan, and nougat and coated in dark chocolate.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
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Add cabbage and toss with tongs to coat.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The crock is salt-glazed, giving it a coarser texture than a smoother zinc glaze.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
29 Jan. 2026
-
To serve, let the frozen rolls thaw in the fridge for a few hours or overnight (still in their pan), then bake in a 375˚F oven for fifteen to twenty minutes and glaze with the hot golden syrup (do not skip this step), as per the instructions below.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
22 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Varnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/varnish. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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