unvarnished

adjective

un·​var·​nished ˌən-ˈvär-nisht 

1

a

: not adorned or glossed : plain, straightforward

told the unvarnished truth

b

: artless, frank

the unvarnished candor of old people and children

—Janet Flanner

2

: not coated with or as if with varnish : crude, unfinished

Synonyms

• bald
• bare
• naked
• plain
• plain-vanilla
• simple
• unadorned
• undecorated
• unembellished
• unornamented

Examples of unvarnished in a Sentence

If you want my unvarnished opinion, the movie stinks.

I'm telling the unvarnished truth.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bullying, accompanied by threats from the world’s richest man, is the Trump Effect in unvarnished form. —Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025

Together, these conversations offer a window into how global leaders are approaching a period of potential turmoil—and provide an unvarnished guide to power politics in an era of American disruption. —Foreign Affairs, 16 Jan. 2025

Some Democratic lawmakers have voiced concern about whether Mr. Trump’s choices for top intelligence posts will deliver unvarnished intelligence. —Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2025

In 2025, going rogue means brands will be raw and unvarnished with their storytelling. —Steven Le Vine, Rolling Stone, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

unvarnished

adjective

un·​var·​nished ˌən-ˈvär-nisht 

ˈən-

1

: not adorned or exaggerated : plain

the unvarnished truth

2

: not varnished