as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure
burnished the floor of the ballroom to a soft luster
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Recent Examples of burnishing
Murdaugh’s father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather were each elected as top prosecutors in the region, burnishing a family reputation that eventually crumbled.
—
Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Shapiro brushed off questions — and Republican criticism — about burnishing his credentials for a White House run.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
The Wolverines lost to Duke, burnishing the Blue Devils’ resume.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
He became known for poaching clients, extracting heroic sums for their work, and burnishing their reputations abroad.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Meghan signed with talent agency WME in April 2023, in hopes of burnishing her profile in the business.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
And Willard’s overt emphasis on velocity led to serious gains in Boston, with the Red Sox burnishing their reputation for pitching development during his two years there.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The legacy of the Milan Cortina Winter Games is both physical, in new facilities and infrastructure, and intangible, burnishing Milan’s global image.
—Colleen Barry, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Most notably, Paxton led numerous legal challenges against the Biden administration over immigration and border policies, often succeeding and burnishing his credentials as a conservative crusader.
—Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 13 May 2026
Shapiro brushed off questions — and Republican criticism — about burnishing his credentials for a White House run.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
The Wolverines lost to Duke, burnishing the Blue Devils’ resume.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
He became known for poaching clients, extracting heroic sums for their work, and burnishing their reputations abroad.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Meghan signed with talent agency WME in April 2023, in hopes of burnishing her profile in the business.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
And Willard’s overt emphasis on velocity led to serious gains in Boston, with the Red Sox burnishing their reputation for pitching development during his two years there.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
The legacy of the Milan Cortina Winter Games is both physical, in new facilities and infrastructure, and intangible, burnishing Milan’s global image.
—Colleen Barry, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026
Most notably, Paxton led numerous legal challenges against the Biden administration over immigration and border policies, often succeeding and burnishing his credentials as a conservative crusader.
—Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burnishing
Verb
-
Slow down before polishing the life out of your point.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
23 May 2026
-
Rolls-Royce artisans later sealed each piece beneath ten layers of lacquer before sanding and polishing the surfaces to the mirror-like finish expected of the brand.—
Matthew MacConnell,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
This is also linked to a change known as Darier’s sign, which is a common finding in mastocytosis, where rubbing a skin lesion causes redness or swelling.—
Suchandrima Bhowmik,
Health,
15 May 2026
-
If one berry develops mold, spores can spread quickly, and moisture, warmth, and friction from the berries rubbing together can accelerate the spread.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust, smoothing the top.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
It’s designed with side-smoothing panels, separated cups, and wide, adjustable straps.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Burnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burnishing. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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