as in polished
having a shiny surface or finish
bright burnished metal is used extensively in that boutique's decor
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rubbed
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
burnished the floor of the ballroom to a soft luster
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of burnished
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Stock up on lumbar and throw pillows with geometric motifs and flannel and denim bedding, burnished brass, and suede elements.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026
His voice sounds burnished and vital, never tired.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
Decked with cashmere curtains and burnished-leather bed frames, the guest rooms offer breathtaking mountain views and Western authenticity.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Warmer, more distinctive finishes such as burnished brass, bronze, and mixed materials are replacing matte black.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Mango Luisa Penny Loafer The Mango Luisa Penny Loafers put a refined spin on the wardrobe classic thanks to the burnished leather and moc-toe silhouette that’s polished and effortless.
—Olivia Dubyak, InStyle, 31 Dec. 2025
The ground crunches on my morning walks, carpeted in burnished leaves the same colors of the hearts of flames.
—Morgan Lockhart, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
Fimognari, who’s shot most of Mike Flanagan’s considerably darker-toned projects, eschews the usual overbright Christmas comedy aesthetic for a burnished veneer.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
The surface appears slightly mottled or burnished, giving it the feel of something that’s been hand-made and used for years.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2026
The foothills in the distance become burnished in the golden hour’s fading light.
—Audrey T. Williams, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
The moment burnished the image Clinton was trying to build as someone who was willing to stand up to the party’s special interests and most loyal voting base.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2026
And under the broiler, it becomes burnished on the bird, almost candied in taste.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Feb. 2026
Quinton notes that burnished brass and bronze are in high demand.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
The arrival of Matsuhisa, Moncler, and Prada, along with Dior residencies and Veuve Clicquot-in-the-snow après events, has burnished that image.
—Amy Tara Koch, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2026
Dubai’s reputation as a paradise for sun-seekers and digital nomads has been burnished on TikTok and Instagram, and in recent years the UAE has sought to formalize content creation as a profession, bringing it into the fold of its economic transformation drive.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
In contrast, with a GLP-1, people might be more inclined to take them because of their burnished reputation.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2026
Stock up on lumbar and throw pillows with geometric motifs and flannel and denim bedding, burnished brass, and suede elements.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026
His voice sounds burnished and vital, never tired.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 20 Feb. 2026
Decked with cashmere curtains and burnished-leather bed frames, the guest rooms offer breathtaking mountain views and Western authenticity.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
Warmer, more distinctive finishes such as burnished brass, bronze, and mixed materials are replacing matte black.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Mango Luisa Penny Loafer The Mango Luisa Penny Loafers put a refined spin on the wardrobe classic thanks to the burnished leather and moc-toe silhouette that’s polished and effortless.
—Olivia Dubyak, InStyle, 31 Dec. 2025
The ground crunches on my morning walks, carpeted in burnished leaves the same colors of the hearts of flames.
—Morgan Lockhart, PEOPLE, 29 Nov. 2025
Fimognari, who’s shot most of Mike Flanagan’s considerably darker-toned projects, eschews the usual overbright Christmas comedy aesthetic for a burnished veneer.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 27 Nov. 2025
Verb
Millions of Monarchs hang from the trees like frostbitten leaves the underside of their wings exposed, burnished, and bronzed.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
The surface appears slightly mottled or burnished, giving it the feel of something that’s been hand-made and used for years.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2026
The foothills in the distance become burnished in the golden hour’s fading light.
—Audrey T. Williams, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
The moment burnished the image Clinton was trying to build as someone who was willing to stand up to the party’s special interests and most loyal voting base.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 17 Feb. 2026
And under the broiler, it becomes burnished on the bird, almost candied in taste.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Feb. 2026
Quinton notes that burnished brass and bronze are in high demand.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
The arrival of Matsuhisa, Moncler, and Prada, along with Dior residencies and Veuve Clicquot-in-the-snow après events, has burnished that image.
—Amy Tara Koch, Robb Report, 29 Jan. 2026
Dubai’s reputation as a paradise for sun-seekers and digital nomads has been burnished on TikTok and Instagram, and in recent years the UAE has sought to formalize content creation as a profession, bringing it into the fold of its economic transformation drive.
—Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnished
Adjective
-
Service here is attentive and polished, but not pushy, and servers are happy to walk you through the cocktail menu and provide suggestions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
At 249 pounds, this one, hewn from polished Verde marble, isn’t going anywhere.—
Kathryn O’Shea-Evans,
Robb Report,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His grandiose persona rubbed many the wrong way early on, earning him a villain label.—
Pamela Chelin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
-
And Jesse Leasure, who was drenched in pepper spray and felt like his skin was on fire and as though someone had rubbed his eyeballs with sandpaper.—
Olivia George,
Washington Post,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This time, my eyes slid to the fresh silver polish on her fingernails, her cascading perm thick but without any undergrowth, and those eyes darting from me to the cop, glistening as if on the verge of pouring.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The puppet wore a black judicial robe and had glistening eyes with slit pupils.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The looming canyon nearly obscures sunlight, and sinuous, layered stone reveals warm burgundy, grey, and violet striations smoothed by centuries of flooding.—
Madison Chapman,
Outside,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Fronting the glittering waters of the Atlantic, the Louis XIII-style promenade is currently undergoing a multi-million-dollar renewal, its granite tiles buffed and smoothed, vegetation planted, and its sea lions by sculptor José Fioravanti returned to their former glory.—
Siobhan Reid,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The coppery hue comes through as red in contrast with her eye color and glossy lips, outlined in a tan pencil.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
27 Mar. 2026
-
After that, paper media gets a lot glossier, and a lot more knowing.—
Laura Brown,
Artforum,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The publication adds that the finished product is coated with a cheese seasoning blend that includes oil and powdered ingredients, contributing to its distinctive texture and durability.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
These panels are coated with a photothermal dye that captures and converts sunlight into heat.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
It was well appointed and modern, with a sleek and nicely stocked wet bar, and curtains that swiftly opened or closed at the touch of a button.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Low Tow prototype also includes a sleek indoor corner kitchen with slim rectangular sink, dual-burner induction cooktop and 12-V compressor fridge.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Under his meticulous care, the gleaming red sports car has been souped up to generate 400-horsepower turbo performance, but retains much of the original features and feel.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The trailer features stunning images of the massive gleaming white cube that was the centerpiece of the staging and Instagram-worthy shots of the pryo and special effects that made the tour a must-see for fans.—
Gil Kaufman,
Billboard,
10 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burnished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnished. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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