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
Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Jenner’s nails were styled in a minimalist almond shape and polished in a cloudy, pink-nude manicure.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 15 Feb. 2025
George Yang, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
The production values are way higher for this sequel, which received its initial batch of funding via Kickstarter, and technical performance is improved despite the boost in visual polish.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2025
The cars carry Inge, Isabell, her father’s Polish carer, and Rolf, who has used a wheelchair since a stroke.
—Alissa Simon, Variety, 16 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for polish 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
In one fell swoop, that verdict rejected decades of Madigan and his loyalists polishing the image of the once-mighty speaker as a politician above reproach, a statesman who never crossed the line, a lawyer with a personal code of conduct that kept him on the straight and narrow.
—Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Jenner’s nails were styled in a minimalist almond shape and polished in a cloudy, pink-nude manicure.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Noun
While the game looks fine, the biggest improvement over the first one is the amount of polish.
—George Yang, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2025
The production values are way higher for this sequel, which received its initial batch of funding via Kickstarter, and technical performance is improved despite the boost in visual polish.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
News reports said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk were among those expected in Paris.
—Emma Burrows, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2025
The cars carry Inge, Isabell, her father’s Polish carer, and Rolf, who has used a wheelchair since a stroke.
—Alissa Simon, Variety, 16 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for polish
Dictionary Entries Near polish
Cite this Entry
“Polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polish. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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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