as in polishing
to cover (something) with varnish
He varnished the table.
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Recent Examples of varnishing
Like most ’80s metal heroes who briefly lost their way in the late ’90s, Megadeth have spent the 21st century varnishing their legacy with what’s tried and true, delivering eight LPs since 2001 that all basically sound the same.
—
Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 26 Jan. 2026
Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for varnishing
Verb
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Remove all oil residue from the nail beds before polishing.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
24 Feb. 2026
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Harsh Chemicals and Abrasive Cleaners Avoid using harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners when cleaning and polishing wood flooring.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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He is accused of touching the girl’s genitals and rubbing her thighs.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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And Webb, rubbing his hands together, is best suited to use him.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The luxurious Insolent Youth Serum works by deeply hydrating, smoothing fine lines, boosting skin regeneration and fighting signs of aging.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
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That’s why our testers—spanning a wide range of skin types, ages, and skin concerns—have spent months determining which products actually deliver on their fine-line-smoothing and dark-circle-erasing promises.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2018, the team made an important leap forward by using spray coating to create layers of chitin and cellulose nanomaterials.—
J. Carson Meredith,
The Conversation,
17 Mar. 2026
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Its enamel coating is stain-resistant, chip-resistant and crack-resistant for easy maintenance.—
BestReviews,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Varnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/varnishing. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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