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
Christopher Rim, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
Read on to learn how to use banana peels to shine and polish silver and leather, as well as several other unusual household uses for banana peels.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Oct. 2024
Cade Onder, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
Its lead developer, Treyarch, was given three years to develop the game and that extra year of development time really shows not only in the level of polish, but in all the myriad ways the game gets creative with its systems, stories and gameplay.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Nick Scott, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2024
At a Thursday summit, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Polish President Andrzej Duda condemned the reports.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for polish 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
High school seniors are now in the midst of the college admissions process; writing essays, polishing college lists, and preparing for interviews.
—Christopher Rim, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
Read on to learn how to use banana peels to shine and polish silver and leather, as well as several other unusual household uses for banana peels.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
All of the teams had time to innovate, polish, and build something that injects fresh air into a storied franchise that many thought was on its deathbed after a rough few years.
—Cade Onder, Rolling Stone, 1 Nov. 2024
Its lead developer, Treyarch, was given three years to develop the game and that extra year of development time really shows not only in the level of polish, but in all the myriad ways the game gets creative with its systems, stories and gameplay.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The vibe is also congenial: A multi-generational, full-capacity crowd claps in time to the ebullient techno between games and cheers in unison when an announcement reveals that a Polish couple who’ve just got engaged here will be enjoying top-tier hospitality for the rest of the tournament.
—Nick Scott, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2024
At a Thursday summit, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Polish President Andrzej Duda condemned the reports.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
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 30 Nov. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share