This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn more

Polish synonyms
pŏl'ĭsh
Sorting by
Votes
shine
(Slang) A liking for a person; a fancy.
0
0
  1. (Slang) A liking for a person; a fancy.
  2. Fair weather:
  3. Brightness from reflected light; luster.
burnish
A gloss or polish
0
0
  1. A gloss or polish
  2. A smooth glossy finish or appearance; luster.
glaze
A glassy finish, as on pottery
0
0
  1. A glassy finish, as on pottery
  2. A thin smooth shiny coating.
  3. A coat of semitransparent color applied to a painted surface to modify the effect
burnish
To make or become shiny by rubbing; polish
0
0
  1. To make or become shiny by rubbing; polish
  2. To rub with a tool that serves especially to smooth or polish.
buff
To make smooth or soft like buff
0
0
  1. To make smooth or soft like buff
  2. To polish or shine with a piece of soft material.
  3. To clean or shine with a buff or treated cloth
shine
(Cricket) To polish a cricket ball using saliva and one's clothing.
0
0
  1. (Cricket) To polish a cricket ball using saliva and one's clothing.
  2. (US) To make bright; to cause to shine by reflected light.
  3. To create light with (a flashlight, lamp, torch, or similar).
brighten
To make or become bright or brighter.
0
0
  1. To make or become bright or brighter.
rub
To move (one's hand, a cloth, etc.) over, or spread or apply (polish, etc.) on or over, a surface or object in this way
0
0
  1. To move (one's hand, a cloth, etc.) over, or spread or apply (polish, etc.) on or over, a surface or object in this way
  2. To put into a specified condition by applying pressure and friction
  3. To apply to a surface firmly and with friction:
wax
Any of various solid, usually yellow substances that melt or soften easily when heated. They are similar to fats, but are less greasy and more brittle. Naturally occurring animal and plant waxes are esters of saturated fatty acids and alcohols of high molecular weight, including sterols. Waxes are also manufactured synthetically from petroleum, and are used to make polishers, lubricants, coatings, waterproofing, crayons, candles, and many other products.
0
0
  1. Any of various solid, usually yellow substances that melt or soften easily when heated. They are similar to fats, but are less greasy and more brittle. Naturally occurring animal and plant waxes are esters of saturated fatty acids and alcohols of high molecular weight, including sterols. Waxes are also manufactured synthetically from petroleum, and are used to make polishers, lubricants, coatings, waterproofing, crayons, candles, and many other products.
  2. To rub, polish, cover, smear, or treat with wax
  3. To remove facial or body hair by covering the skin with a layer of wax that is peeled off after hardening, uprooting the encased hairs.
clean
To rid of dirt, rubbish, or impurities:
0
0
  1. To rid of dirt, rubbish, or impurities:
  2. To remove (dirt, impurities, etc.) in making clean
  3. In a clean or nonpolluting manner:
smooth
To make (something) even, level, or unwrinkled:
0
0
  1. To make (something) even, level, or unwrinkled:
  2. In a smooth manner
  3. To remove wrinkles from by pressing
scour
To remove dirt or grease from (cloth or fibers) by means of a detergent.
0
0
  1. To remove dirt or grease from (cloth or fibers) by means of a detergent.
  2. To clean things by vigorous rubbing and polishing
  3. To clean, polish, or wash by scrubbing vigorously:
furbish
To make usable or attractive again; refurbish
0
0
  1. To make usable or attractive again; refurbish
  2. To restore to attractive or serviceable condition; renovate.
  3. To brighten by cleaning or rubbing; polish.
finish
To treat (a cut edge, esp. of a garment), as by pinking, serging, or binding, in order to prevent raveling
0
0
  1. To treat (a cut edge, esp. of a garment), as by pinking, serging, or binding, in order to prevent raveling
  2. To give (cloth, leather, wood, etc.) a desired surface effect
  3. To consume all of; use up:
varnish
To cover with varnish; brush varnish on
0
0
  1. To cover with varnish; brush varnish on
  2. To give a smooth and glossy finish to.
  3. To impart a smooth surface or appearance to, as with varnish
gloss
To give a bright sheen or luster to.
0
0
  1. To give a bright sheen or luster to.
  2. To smooth over or cover up (an error, inadequacy, fault, etc.); make appear right by specious argument or by minimizing
  3. To apply a gloss to:
buff
To soften the surface of (leather) by raising a nap.
0
0
  1. To soften the surface of (leather) by raising a nap.
  2. To clean or shine with a buff or treated cloth
  3. To polish or shine with a piece of soft material.
burnish
To make or become shiny by rubbing; polish
0
0
  1. To make or become shiny by rubbing; polish
  2. To rub with a tool that serves especially to smooth or polish.
furbish
(Now Rare) To brighten by rubbing or scouring; polish; burnish
0
0
  1. (Now Rare) To brighten by rubbing or scouring; polish; burnish
  2. To brighten by cleaning or rubbing; polish.
  3. To restore to attractive or serviceable condition; renovate.
glaze
To apply a glaze to:
0
0
  1. To apply a glaze to:
  2. To give (the eyes) a glassy look
  3. To coat (a painted surface) with a semitransparent color
gloss
To provide (an expression or a text) with a gloss or glosses.
0
0
  1. To provide (an expression or a text) with a gloss or glosses.
  2. To give a bright sheen or luster to.
  3. To apply a gloss to:
shine
To create light with (a flashlight, lamp, torch, or similar).
0
0
  1. To create light with (a flashlight, lamp, torch, or similar).
  2. To emit or reflect light; be radiant or bright with light; gleam; glow
  3. (US) To make bright; to cause to shine by reflected light.
sleek
(Dated) With ease and dexterity.
0
0
  1. (Dated) With ease and dexterity.
  2. To make sleek; slick:
perfect
To bring to perfection or completion:
0
0
  1. To bring to perfection or completion:
  2. To make perfect or more nearly perfect according to a given standard, as by training
refine
To become fine or pure; become free from impurities, etc.
0
0
  1. To become fine or pure; become free from impurities, etc.
  2. To use precise distinctions and subtlety in thought or speech.
  3. To free from coarse, unsuitable, or immoral characteristics:
smooth
To become smooth
0
0
  1. To become smooth
  2. To cause to appear less harsh or severe than is the case:
  3. To make (something) even, level, or unwrinkled:
retouch
(Archaeology) To modify (a flaked stone tool) by secondary flaking along the cutting edge.
0
0
  1. (Archaeology) To modify (a flaked stone tool) by secondary flaking along the cutting edge.
  2. To improve or change (a photographic negative or print), as by adding details or removing flaws.
  3. To color (recent growth of hair) to match hair that was tinted, dyed, or bleached at an earlier date.
burnish
A smooth glossy finish or appearance; luster.
0
0
  1. A smooth glossy finish or appearance; luster.
  2. A gloss or polish
glaze
A glassy finish, as on pottery
0
0
  1. A glassy finish, as on pottery
  2. A thin smooth shiny coating.
  3. A transparent coating applied to the surface of a painting to modify the color tones.
gloss
A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance or good reputation:
0
0
  1. A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance or good reputation:
  2. A kind of paint that dries to a shiny finish.
  3. A cosmetic that adds shine or luster, such as lip gloss.
luster
The appearance of a mineral surface judged by its brilliance and ability to reflect light.
0
0
  1. The appearance of a mineral surface judged by its brilliance and ability to reflect light.
  2. Soft reflected light; sheen.
  3. The quality, condition, or fact of shining by reflected light; gloss; sheen
sheen
A glossy surface given to textiles.
0
0
  1. A glossy surface given to textiles.
  2. Bright or shining attire
  3. Brightness; shininess; luster
shine
Excellence in quality or appearance; splendor.
0
0
  1. Excellence in quality or appearance; splendor.
  2. Brightness from reflected light; luster.
  3. Luster; polish; gloss
sleekness
In a sleek manner.
0
0
  1. In a sleek manner.
elegance
Dignified richness and grace, as of design
0
0
  1. Dignified richness and grace, as of design
  2. Grace, refinement, and beauty in movement, appearance, or manners
  3. Polished fastidiousness or refined grace, as in manners
elegancy
(Humorous) A mock title.
0
0
  1. (Humorous) A mock title.
  2. Elegance or an instance of it.
  3. Alternative form of elegance.
grace
Mercy; clemency.
0
0
  1. Mercy; clemency.
  2. An excellence or power granted by God.
  3. (Theol.) The unmerited love and favor of God toward human beings
urbanity
The quality of being urbane
0
0
  1. The quality of being urbane
  2. Behaviour that is polished, refined, courteous.
  3. Refinement and elegance of manner; polished courtesy.

Synonym Study

  • Shine implies making bright and clean by polishing to shine shoes
  • Buff implies polishing with a stick or tool covered with specially treated leather (originally buffalo hide) or with a soft cloth or pad to buff the fingernails
  • Burnish specifically suggests the rubbing of metals to make them bright and lustrous burnished steel
  • Polish implies rubbing, as with a cloth or tool and, often, an abrasive, paste, etc., to produce a smooth or glossy surface to polish silver, glass, furniture, etc.
Find another word for polish. In this page you can discover 49 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for polish, like: shine, burnish, glaze, burnish, buff, shine, brighten, rub, wax, clean and smooth.

Sentence Examples

  • "Fingernail polish?" she parroted again.

  • This ill-timed parsimony reacted injuriously upon Polish politics.

  • What sort of Polish mazuwka is this?

  • I suppose they polish him up as they do the guns.

  • The epoch-making victory of the 12th of September 1683 was ultimately decided by the charge of the Polish cavalry led by Sobieski in person.

More sentences →

Related Articles

More Articles →

Words that mention polish in the Dictionary

Words near polish in the Thesaurus