SANDING Synonyms: 25 Similar and Opposite Words

sanding

verb

present participle of sand

as in rubbing

to make smooth by friction painstakingly sanded down the wooden floors of the old house

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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 sanding Brush everything with an egg wash and top cutouts with sanding sugar. — Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2026 The roughly 7,300-square-foot residence has been adapted for contemporary living without completely sanding away what came before. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2026 Bass delves into the ease (or difficulty) of loving people in terms anyone could grasp, sanding down the uniqueness of Cyrus’s viewpoint. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026 The work included sanding playground equipment, cleaning up wood chips and organizing toys. — Kennedy Cook, CBS News, 12 Sep. 2026 Degloss the countertop surface by lightly sanding to scuff the shiny finish, and then wipe the dust away. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026 For more than five decades, the brand has grown without sanding down the personality that made its original spaces memorable. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026 Before planting any hibiscus seeds, start by nicking or sanding the seeds using fine-grade sandpaper or the tip of a knife. — Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026 Roughly a month before Kirk’s killing, Twiggs said Robinson asked for a Dremel, a tool used for sanding or grinding, to engrave bullets for an upcoming family hunting trip. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sanding

Verb

Oh, and a pad from an HTC Vive, because nobody wants the sharp edges of layered plastic extruded from a 3D printer rubbing against their face.

— Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Some of the more envelope-pushing moments, including an extended scene of nuns ripping off their habits and rubbing themselves on a life-sized crucifix, were in the script.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubbing

Verb

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
Almost all of them seemed empty, like houses closed for the season, but a handful had signs of life—crewmen at the railings, polishing the brightwork, as if getting ready to leave.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of polishing

Verb

For decades, junior accountants learned their trade by reconciling accounts, manually entering data, and grinding through the month-end close.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
This innovation—the mass manufacture of ammonia, vastly more efficient than scraping guano off remote islands or grinding mountains of bison bones—removed the most critical nutrient bottleneck in global agriculture.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of grinding

Verb

Though thrust into conflict reporting, filing dispatches on tactical maneuvers and geopolitical posturing, her focus was always on people.

— Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
That could lead to filing errors and fairness problems, since some taxpayers could pay more to Uncle Sam than others.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of filing

Verb

If the copper is heavily tarnished, let the toothpaste’s active ingredients work on the patina for ten minutes or so before buffing.

— Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2026
Classes and skills lean into different styles of play; Astromech droids are entirely support-focused, generating AP (action points) and buffing the party, while the Assault is focused on heavy damage and drawing aggro.

— Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of buffing

Verb

Israeli and American leaders have been sharpening their threats before elections in both countries, while Iranian leaders have remained defiant.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
The holiday capsule arrives at a time when Net-a-porter has been sharpening its focus on product, service and storytelling under chief executive officer Heather Kaminetsky.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of sharpening

Browse Nearby Words

sandglasses

sanding

sandpaper

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Style

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

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Synonyms of sanding

verb

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