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
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025
On his first day back on the job, Trump once again singled out California for scorn, thereby burnishing Newsom’s standing within his party.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 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
But if the music exists that could satisfactorily burnish over Redwood’s simultaneous thinness and wonkiness as a narrative, its creators haven’t found it yet.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Feb. 2025
On his first day back on the job, Trump once again singled out California for scorn, thereby burnishing Newsom’s standing within his party.
—Dan Walters, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for burnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnish
Noun
-
At about 100 times that distance, the optical gleam of Earth’s city lights would fade to black—better but still far short of even our next nearest star.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
27 Feb. 2025
-
So do many of their peers: Measures of business confidence soared after the election, and while there are hints that gleam has dulled to some degree, business leaders, as a group, remain upbeat.—
Ben Casselman,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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For dried or sticky grease, Marshall suggests switching to dish soap diluted in water and rubbing gently with a soft sponge or microfiber cloth.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2025
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Should wooden parts continue to rub together, Ceja says a little wax, soap, or WD-40 can help reduce friction and keep things quiet.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The universe is setting you up for a major glow up.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
refinery29.com,
27 Feb. 2025
-
And many of them worked on their glow starting months in advance.—
Justine Fisher,
People.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Add those things to some of the improvement areas the Bears already identified for Williams — from polishing his footwork to better understanding protection plans to mastering his reads — and the to-do list is substantial.—
Dan Wiederer,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Feb. 2025
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The single-button power control is a favorite feature of our reviewer Williams, as well as the fluffy optic cleaner head that cleans and polishes her hard floors.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
26 Feb. 2025
Noun
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All of it has contributed to premature postseason exits that erased the shine of their 2021 championship.—
Brian Sampson,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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The shine on the rear panel makes these colors fun with an iridescent finish; Awesome Black is basically a mirror.—
Iyaz Akhtar,
PCMAG,
1 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The best eye primers for mature skin can smooth them out.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
27 Feb. 2025
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That’s the essential ingredient in this particular Broadway pie, baked as a blend of life’s ups and downs, smoothing then out into a slice of life that supports people living their dreams and learning to find their best selves.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Gene Hackman played Superman's arch-villain, Lex Luthor, with a comic glint.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
1 Mar. 2025
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Think bold reds, glints of gold, and just the right amount of flair to take you from polite family dinners to full-on bar crawls.—
Crystal Chen,
Vogue,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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However, that didn’t stop her co-workers and peers from laying down the firm glare of judgment.—
Marc Griffin,
VIBE.com,
7 Mar. 2025
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That means Johnson’s responses on Wednesday will be under the dual glare of Congress and Trump’s Justice Department, though the courts have generally determined sanctuary laws to be constitutional.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Burnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnish. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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