as in to polish
to cover (something) with varnish
He varnished the table.
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Recent Examples of varnish
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
The coarsest grades of steel wool can strip paint or varnish and remove rust from surfaces.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2025
Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
The dial is created by applying 15 layers of clear lacquer over a coat of Tiffany blue-colored varnish.
—Carol Besler, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for varnish
Verb
Refinish the door with stain or varnish that matches the rest of the kitchen cabinet doors.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
The coarsest grades of steel wool can strip paint or varnish and remove rust from surfaces.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2025
Noun
Finishes like polyurethane, varnish, or laminate add a protective topcoat to your cabinets to protect them from substances like grease.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
The dial is created by applying 15 layers of clear lacquer over a coat of Tiffany blue-colored varnish.
—Carol Besler, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for varnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for varnish
Verb
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Plenty of people already use AI to polish text in emails or other documents before sending them, and this is essentially the same thing for voice input.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
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Something about a summer ceremony invites fun into a potentially formal dress code—your attire should be polished, yes, but can lean playful and bright.—
Sarah Zendejas,
Vogue,
10 May 2026
Noun
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Beauty finds are especially good right now too, like a Laura Geller gloss from Fran Drescher's go-to brand that shoppers love for its lasting shine and an easy-to-use Wavytalk thermal brush that’s under $50.—
Aashna Gheewalla,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
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The parchment on the Noailles screen is hand-dyed in Kyoto, and a beautiful, high-gloss lacquer runs throughout the collection, most notably in pieces like the L'Eclat coffee table.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Use this solution to blot the top layer of the mattress, trying to moisten and gently rub versus soak the mattress.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
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The plastic bristles coax out loose hair as your cat rubs against it.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
15 May 2026
Noun
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This Saturday, the 25 countries that made it through to the Grand Final will perform their songs in astonishingly rapid succession; despite its perennial veneer of sparkly chaos, Eurovision is, from a production logistics standpoint, the very tightest of ships.—
Glen Weldon,
NPR,
14 May 2026
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Common procedures in Turkey include hair transplants, rhinoplasty, veneers and cosmetic dentistry, body contouring, Botox, dermal fillers, mesotherapy and skin tightening treatments such as Thermage.—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The award-winning Star Flower Niacinamide serum contains thousands of sparkling micro pearls, each packed with fresh, nutrient-rich actives for concentrated calming benefits and deep hydration to smooth the look of pores and fine lines.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
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He has not been smoothed by the sandpaper of Washington just yet.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
19 May 2026
Noun
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These animals are relatives of seahorses and known for their remarkable camouflage—likely the evolutionary function of the new species’ dramatic look.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
15 May 2026
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The new goalkeeper kit is an all-black affair, featuring a crew neck instead of a collar and camouflage detailing on the sleeves and shorts.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
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This gel-like substance coats your gut and binds to cholesterol, preventing it from entering your bloodstream.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2026
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Certain mascaras, foundations and dental flosses also use PFAS as texture or coating agents.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The batter comes together fast, and there’s no icing or glaze to fuss over—just a quick sift of powdered sugar.—
Ginger Crichton,
Midwest Living,
17 May 2026
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Mix seeds into honey and glaze chicken thighs or salmon.—
Nancy LeBrun,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Varnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/varnish. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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