VARNISHING Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

varnishing

verb

present participle of varnish

as in polishing

to cover (something) with varnish He varnished the table.

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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 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for varnishing

Verb

Sangare is not the finished product, but Brentford’s track record of finding and polishing young players with high potential casts this move in a promising light.

— Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Born into a Krymchak Jewish family in Haifa and raised poor in Brownsville, Brooklyn, Bakshi entered the animation industry at just 18, polishing dirt from cels at Terrytoons.

— Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of polishing

Verb

For instance, Qidi had to include a piece of Velcro to prevent the Polar Cooler tube from rubbing against the glass surface inside the top cover.

— Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026
Republicans are rubbing their hands in glee at the neocommunist advance in their opposing party.

— Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of rubbing

Verb

The combination bristles feel amazing on my scalp (like the best head scratch ever) while also smoothing my incredibly frizzy hair.

— Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026
Water from the lakes is also used to generate hydroelectric power and to ensure a steady, predictable flow of water downstream, smoothing the water supply during droughts and when snowpack in the Rocky Mountains is low.

— Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of smoothing

Verb

In May 2025, a huge mass of rock and ice from a glacier thundered down the mountainside in the nearby Loetschental valley, sending plumes of dust skyward and coating with mud nearly all of Blatten, which had been evacuated earlier as a precaution.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
For use directly on the body, the team added a polydopamine coating to improve skin compatibility.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of coating

Browse Nearby Words

varnishes

varnishing

vary

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“Varnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/varnishing. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of varnishing

verb

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