polished

1 of 2

adjective

pol·​ished ˈpä-lisht How to pronounce polished (audio)
Synonyms of polished
1
: subjected to polishing : made smooth and glossy by or as if by polishing
a polished surface
polished silver
2
: characterized by a high degree of development, finish, or refinement : free from imperfections
a polished performance/performer
a highly polished piece of writing
3
somewhat old-fashioned : characterized by elegance and refinement
a polished gentleman
polished society

polished

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of polish entry 1

Synonyms of polished

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of polished in a Sentence

Adjective she could see her face reflected in the polished hood of the car showing the polished manners of a cosmopolitan woman
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.
Adjective
Unlike many of the restaurants and retailers in the area, nothing about the restaurant looks particularly polished – and that’s part of the appeal. — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026 If your dream sofa needs to look polished but can also accommodate a serious weekend nap, the Lido Chaise Sectional is built for both. — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026 Galleria is all about mixing and matching patterns and prints to create polished outfits. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 Amazon’s impressive Labor Day deals include durable, polished luggage from top brands like Samsonite, Travelpro, and Delsey Paris. — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for polished

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English polisshed, from past participle of polisshen to polish

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Rhymes for polished

See All Rhymes for polished

Browse Nearby Words

Polish Corridor
polished
polished rice
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polished. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All