polished; polishing; polishes
1
: to make smooth and glossy usually by friction : burnish
2
: to smooth, soften, or refine in manners or condition
3
: to bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state : perfect
: to become smooth or glossy by or as if by friction
polisher
noun
1
2
: the action or process of polishing
3
: a preparation that is used to produce a gloss and often a color for the protection and decoration of a surface
furniture polish
nail polish
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish
: the Slavic language of the Poles
Synonyms
Examples of polish in a Sentence
Verb
He spent the summer polishing his math skills.
you'll need to polish your shoes with a clean rag before the performance
Noun (1)
I need more shoe polish.
Did you use a wax polish on the table or an oil-based one?
The movie has the polish we've come to expect from that director.
He's rude and lacks polish.
Recent Examples on the Web
Violet Goldstone, WWD, 24 Sep. 2024
Exports from India, centre of the diamond cutting and polishing industry, are said to remain depressed, down 11% month-on-month in July, and down 23% year-on-year, firmly below historical averages.
—Tim Treadgold, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 1 Oct. 2024
The collection features 21 new polish shades, including Glinda’s signature sparkling petal pink and Elphaba’s green skin tone.
—Violet Goldstone, WWD, 30 Sep. 2024
Matt Gardner, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
The author touches on key events in 20th-century Polish history while also introducing unreal phenomena, such as archangels who watch over the village and seem truly alien.
—Jeff Vandermeer, The Atlantic, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for polish 
Verb
But the brand’s reach is wide and far, having sponsored landmark pop culture events like the fantasy bras for Victoria’s Secret shows and bespoke crowns for Miss Universe with stones sourced and polished in South Africa.
—Violet Goldstone, WWD, 24 Sep. 2024
Exports from India, centre of the diamond cutting and polishing industry, are said to remain depressed, down 11% month-on-month in July, and down 23% year-on-year, firmly below historical averages.
—Tim Treadgold, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024
Noun
The point is to ensure a certain level of polish on these Chromebooks, which start at around $350.
—Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 1 Oct. 2024
The collection features 21 new polish shades, including Glinda’s signature sparkling petal pink and Elphaba’s green skin tone.
—Violet Goldstone, WWD, 30 Sep. 2024
Adjective
In its quest to replicate the glory days of 32-bit-era offroad racing, Polish dev studio Pixel Perfect Dude has a strong start with #DRIVE Rally.
—Matt Gardner, Forbes, 29 Sep. 2024
The author touches on key events in 20th-century Polish history while also introducing unreal phenomena, such as archangels who watch over the village and seem truly alien.
—Jeff Vandermeer, The Atlantic, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for polish
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near polish
Cite this Entry
“Polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polish. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
polish
1 of 4 verb
pol·ish
ˈpäl-ish 
1
: to make smooth and glossy usually by rubbing
2
: to smooth or improve in manners, condition, or style
3
: to bring to a highly developed or finished state
polish a technique
polisher
noun
polish
2 of 4 noun1
a
: a smooth glossy surface : luster
b
: good manners : refinement
2
: the action or process of polishing
3
: a substance prepared for use in polishing
shoe polish
nail polish
Polish
3 of 4 adjective
Pol·ish
ˈpō-lish
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish
Polish
4 of 4 noun
: the Slavic language of the Poles
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