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

The album’s raw, unvarnished portrayal of life’s trials and resilience resonates deeply with me. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024

Here’s my unvarnished take on what might be the ultimate urban sanctuary. —Paul Jebara, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2024

But getting to this unvarnished point was a process. —Katcy Stephan, Variety, 22 Oct. 2024

Not the version of the truth that’s been polished for a presentation or made comfortable to hear, but the unvarnished, often uncomfortable reality of your situation. —Chloe Berger, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2024

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