FURBISH Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

furbish

verb

ˈfər-bish

Definition of furbish

as in to polish

to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure the warrior furbished his sword and shield so that they glinted in the sunlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for furbish

Verb

Stick to simple color-blocking Work outfits should be polished, easy, and (perhaps most importantly) comfortable.

— Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2026
Nowadays, machinery like edge polishers make calibration, grinding, shaping and beveling possible with great ease and high-pressure waterjet cutting and polishing systems used for complex contours and sensitive materials.

— Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of polish

Verb

The discovery was made Wednesday in the Hickory Ridge area of east Charlotte, and responding officers report a man drenched in sweat tried to rub them down with garlic and bite them, according to an affidavit.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026
True, but there are other issues that rubbed me the wrong way (sorry).

— Valerie Monroe, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of rub

Verb

But so will filters offering subtle beautification effects — such as smoothing skin tone or adding a slight eye glow.

— Chloe Veltman, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
Together, these efforts can help smooth the often difficult path from the first unexplained symptoms to an accurate diagnosis, while reducing the risk of both misdiagnosis and unnecessary delays.

— Bruce Bebo, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of smooth

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.

Browse Nearby Words

furbelows

furbish

furbished

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Furbish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/furbish. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of furbish

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

grotesque

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes