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
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
Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Feb. 2026
This density makes the granite particularly resilient to collisions and allows it to be polished to a finish smooth enough to glide on ice.
—Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
Focus on one statement pillow; a lumbar or bolster adds instant polish without pillows piling up.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
Patti Nickell, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
The owners of National Bakery and Central Standard Distillery have united our love of sugar and brandy to add another flavor to the ranks of Polish paczki.
—Elaine Rewolinski, jsonline.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025
But in the early days of a startup, design polish doesn’t attract customers, partners, or investors.
—Abdo Riani, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
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
Dimensional blondes and brunettes offer shine and polish with a low-maintenance grow-out.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Feb. 2026
This density makes the granite particularly resilient to collisions and allows it to be polished to a finish smooth enough to glide on ice.
—Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
The look still embraces the fisherman aesthetic, but the open front and buckled back strap create a more flattering silhouette that will add the right amount of polish and sophistication to all of your summer linen.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2026
Focus on one statement pillow; a lumbar or bolster adds instant polish without pillows piling up.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
Or take a literal shot of reality with a wee dram in the tasting room at Talisker Distillery, followed by a gourmet dinner from the Welsh chef who owns the charming Hame Hotel with his Polish partner and their adorable Aussie dog.
—Patti Nickell, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
The owners of National Bakery and Central Standard Distillery have united our love of sugar and brandy to add another flavor to the ranks of Polish paczki.
—Elaine Rewolinski, jsonline.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
Tying all of these ideas together and applying a consistent level of polish to them also added time to the process.
—Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2025
But in the early days of a startup, design polish doesn’t attract customers, partners, or investors.
—Abdo Riani, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for polish
Cite this Entry
“Polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polish. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
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
