polished 1 of 2

adjective

ˈpä-lisht How to pronounce polished (audio)
Definition of polishednext
1
as in sleek
having a shiny surface or finish she could see her face reflected in the polished hood of the car

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cultured
having or showing a taste for the fine arts and gracious living showing the polished manners of a cosmopolitan woman

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polished

2 of 2

verb

past tense of polish
1
as in smoothed
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure you'll need to polish your shoes with a clean rag before the performance

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2
as in finished
to bring (something) to a state where nothing remains to be done once you polish the article a bit, it'll be ready to submit

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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 polished
Adjective
Elsewhere, Akira Back brings the eponymous celebrity chef's Korean-Japanese cooking to Hanoi, while Kumihimo offers polished Japanese fare and JW Café anchors the hotel's all-day dining. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026 The Duo feels a little more polished, but the Z Fold 8 has the better cover screen experience. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
The asymmetrical hemline of the sweater is right on trend and makes the whole look feel much more intentional, while the slouchy silhouette still looks polished enough for a coffee run after landing. — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2026 Each refillable case secures with a satisfying magnetic closure, and is polished with an alabaster finish. — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for polished
Recent Examples of Synonyms for polished
  1. sleek
  2. cultured
  3. smoothed
  4. finished
  5. glossy
  6. civilized
  7. rubbed
  8. completed
Adjective
  • Stretch fabrics have sleek constructions without the bulky appearance of conventional stretch denim, and mechanical stretch fabrics offer big, open twills and rigid character.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tasting restaurant tucked in a sleek, modern setting combines the James Beard Award-winning credentials of chef Eric Ferguson with the hospitality chops of Cat Carter, ensuring a high quality experience that’s hard to match.
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of sleek
Adjective
  • Too obviously the gift of someone trying to seem casually cultured?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • As the war wound down, Olivier was becoming more obsessed with directing, often counting on Leigh as his cultured, measured adviser.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of cultured
Verb
  • Have you ever been locked out of an account while using a VPN, or found a solution that smoothed things out?
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Facilities that once smoothed a few weeks of timing now sometimes carry a portfolio for months, occasionally across an entire fundraising cycle.
    — Peter Doyle, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of smoothed
Verb
  • Kreiss-Tomkins, who was previously a state legislator, finished the state’s open primary race in August in the top spot, with another Democratic candidate, Tom Begich, in second place.
    — Chantelle Lee, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The Angels went 62-100 — the first 100-loss season in franchise history — and finished last in the AL West in their only season under Suzuki, who ended his 16-year major league playing career as a catcher for the Angels in 2021-22.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of finished
Adjective
  • When glossy, spoon mixture into a sandwich bag, pushing the mixture to the corner of the bag and twisting the top of the bag to remove any excess air.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Deep greens sit against warm ochre walls, punctuated by flashes of glossy, nail-varnish-red lacquer.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of glossy
Adjective
  • Aaron Turpen / New Atlas The next big surprise is how civilized the Charger has become.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2026
  • On pavement, the 4Runner was comfortable and surprisingly civilized considering the serious off-road hardware underneath it.
    — Denver Post, Denver Post, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of civilized
Verb
  • Then Kip caught himself and, by way of saying thanks, rubbed his belly, smiled big, gave me the finger.
    — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The reaction from Chiefs Kingdom rubbed a former player the wrong way.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of rubbed
Verb
  • Almost none has completed the reorganization that produces the compounding gains on the other side.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Kaplan previously worked at Tepper’s Appaloosa Management hedge fund and advised him on the Panthers acquisition completed in 2018.
    — Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of completed

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Cite this Entry

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

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