burnish

1 of 2

verb

bur·​nish ˈbər-nish How to pronounce burnish (audio)
burnished; burnishing; burnishes
Synonyms of burnish

transitive verb

1
a
: to make shiny or lustrous especially by rubbing
burnish leather
burnishing his sword
b
: polish sense 3
attempting to burnish her image
2
: to rub (a material) with a tool for compacting or smoothing or for turning an edge
pottery with a smooth burnished surface
burnisher noun
burnishing adjective or noun

burnish

2 of 2

noun

: luster, gloss

Synonyms of burnish

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Verb

Noun

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Examples of burnish in a Sentence

Verb burnished the floor of the ballroom to a soft luster Noun after some much-needed polishing, the silver tea set had a brilliant burnish
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The high note Giuliani left office on — after mulling avenues to stay in office past the limitation — burnished his public profile with lucrative results, said his 1993 campaign press secretary Ken Frydman. — Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 6 Sep. 2026 The appeal is the latest example of Castor trying to burnish a more centrist image. — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
Buchanan noted the hard bake, showing approval for the solid burnish on the outer layer. — Mario Cortez, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Mar. 2026 Fretting that the fabled bash was losing its luster, Guiducci ordered up some major burnishes. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for burnish

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English burnischen, from Anglo-French burniss-, stem of burnir, alteration of Old French brunir, literally, to make brown, from brun

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1646, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of burnish was in the 14th century

Rhymes for burnish

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Browse Nearby Words

burning-wood
burnish
burnished gold
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Burnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burnish. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

burnish

verb
bur·​nish
ˈbər-nish
: to make shiny especially by rubbing : polish
burnisher noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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