1
as in rubbing
to make smooth by friction
she learned to buff semiprecious stones in order to make her own jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
the janitor buffed the lobby floor until it shone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of buffing
These provide enough force for buffing out scratches without further damaging the surface.
—
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Anything above 220 is considered fine and works well for smoothing edges and buffing the nail surface to a polished finish.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
Finish by cleaning the area with the vinegar and water mixture and buffing it to a shine.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
For extra shine, Sokolowski suggests buffing lightly with a dry cloth.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
The singer, born Cassandra Monique Batie, also colored her waterline with black, buffing gray and brown tones underneath.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
To start, apply a base coat that's similar to your nails, and finish off by buffing in a milky white hue on the tips.
—Taylor Augustin Littlejohn, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
If the bloom's appearance bothers you, remove it by applying a small amount of oil, such as cooking oil or baby oil, to a soft cloth, then gently buffing it away in a circular motion.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Application involves lightly buffing the nail, applying the adhesive, and pressing each faux nail into place.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2025
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Anything above 220 is considered fine and works well for smoothing edges and buffing the nail surface to a polished finish.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 5 Mar. 2026
Finish by cleaning the area with the vinegar and water mixture and buffing it to a shine.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
For extra shine, Sokolowski suggests buffing lightly with a dry cloth.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
The singer, born Cassandra Monique Batie, also colored her waterline with black, buffing gray and brown tones underneath.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
To start, apply a base coat that's similar to your nails, and finish off by buffing in a milky white hue on the tips.
—Taylor Augustin Littlejohn, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
If the bloom's appearance bothers you, remove it by applying a small amount of oil, such as cooking oil or baby oil, to a soft cloth, then gently buffing it away in a circular motion.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Application involves lightly buffing the nail, applying the adhesive, and pressing each faux nail into place.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffing
Verb
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The slightly higher cut helps prevent sneakers from rubbing your ankle or the top of your foot.—
Malia Griggs,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2026
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So, the timing for Mortensen to be making his second show debut right as his ex’s is being pulled off the air is rubbing fans the wrong way.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Remove all oil residue from the nail beds before polishing.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
24 Feb. 2026
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Harsh Chemicals and Abrasive Cleaners Avoid using harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners when cleaning and polishing wood flooring.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This could be older lead from repairs and repainting involving sanding down old lead paint, usually not from a fire.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
28 Mar. 2026
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After drying and sanding, the pieces are sealed and painted with complex patterns, geometric designs, and Zapotec symbols.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hospitals that implemented smoothing elective admissions have reported millions of dollars in additional annual revenue.—
Eugene Litvak,
STAT,
27 Mar. 2026
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The end result is a lotion that hydrates while also preventing breakouts and smoothing rough texture over time.—
Hana Hong,
Glamour,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Molino Los Hermanos hopes to start grinding in Uptown this summer.—
Louisa Kung Liu Chu,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
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In recent years, several demonstrations have expanded onto adjacent freeways, grinding traffic to a halt.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The amount beneficiaries receive varies based on several factors, including the number of people filing.—
Asher Notheis,
The Washington Examiner,
29 Mar. 2026
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For married couples filing jointly, the phaseout begins at $200,000 and ends at $250,000.—
Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Lorie Konish,Kamaron McNair,Greg Iacurci,Mike Winters,Sarah Agostino,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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With even pressure, slowly draw the knife through the sharpening slot from heel to tip, maintaining the same angle parallel to the counter.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Mar. 2026
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Waning support for Israel, and increasingly bipartisan disapproval of the war in Iran, has loomed large over the primary elections, with candidates increasingly spurning the support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and sharpening their criticism of the country.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffing. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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