as in gleam
brightness created by light reflected from a surface
after some much-needed polishing, the silver tea set had a brilliant burnish
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to rub
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of burnish
Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Perhaps the open roasting caused the sugar to caramelize, adding a slightly bitter burnish that mitigated the awful sweetness.
—Mimi Sheraton, The Seattle Times, 25 Sep. 2018
Emma Specter, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2025
The incredible landscape is blanketed by deciduous forests, which are burnished with color in autumn.
—Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burnish
Noun
As each streetlamp passed, the burnish of its reflected light rolled up alongside them on the asphalt, like a dolphin curious about a new boat in her waters, and then veered away.
—Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, 22 July 2019
Perhaps the open roasting caused the sugar to caramelize, adding a slightly bitter burnish that mitigated the awful sweetness.
—Mimi Sheraton, The Seattle Times, 25 Sep. 2018
Verb
Here, Roald Dahl’s classic 1970 children’s book of the same name becomes a deeply charming (and incredibly star-studded) stop-motion adventure, bathed from top to toe in the reds, golds, and burnished oranges of fall.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 30 Aug. 2025
The incredible landscape is blanketed by deciduous forests, which are burnished with color in autumn.
—Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnish
Noun
-
Then buff the steel with a dry cloth, wiping in the same direction as the metal's grain to bring back that gleam.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Below, the Winged Victory gleams in the garden.—
Erica Wertheim Zohar,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Add a dab of liquid detergent to remaining stains and lightly rub it in.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The sports star shared another full-length shot of the couple — who currently reside in Oslo — with their arms around each other on the same white sands, while a third closer-up image showed the couple smiling and rubbing noses.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The glow of zodiacal light aligns with the ecliptic — the sun’s path through the zodiac constellations and the plane of the solar system — which is steep at the equator and sloped at mid-northern latitudes.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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For a soft, diffused glow, opt for a linen or paper shade that allows light to permeate the material.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
What color would the statue be if it were polished as envisioned?—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Lopez stepped out looking both cozy and polished in an oversized tailored and tied cream jacket and a slinky matching floor-length skirt.—
Grace McCarty,
Glamour,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Baltimore is the birthplace of Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court Justice, and home to countless other civil rights leaders who deserve more shine.—
Shelby Stewart,
Essence,
17 Sep. 2025
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Use fabric leaves and outdoor-friendly decoupage medium for long-lasting sparkle and shine.—
Savanna Bous,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The very technology designed to smooth our experience is actually increasing our discomfort with the unavoidable misunderstandings and tensions of real relationships, driving us toward isolation.—
Curt Steinhorst,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Designed to last up to 12 hours, the formula is the first of its kind to combine the properties of a setting powder and blush to smooth, blur and set the face without leaving behind a separating residue.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Top it off with a glint of silver.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
10 Sep. 2025
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The glint and thrum of Y2K aesthetics—as contrasted with the droning conservatism of the white-collar office—read as anticipatory rather than melancholic, looking toward a future liberated from systems of old.—
Lauren Michele Jackson,
New Yorker,
23 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Sidewalk glare to in-office fluorescents are no match for this mineral SPF 30 that delivers with a Swiss clock’s precision.—
Tanya Akim,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Apple has applied an anti-reflective coating to ward off glare to all of the new iPhones, while the S25 Ultra is the only S25 with that feature.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnish. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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