polished; polishing; polishes
1
: to make smooth and glossy usually by friction : burnish
2
: to smooth, soften, or refine in manners or condition
3
: to bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state : perfect
: to become smooth or glossy by or as if by friction
polisher
noun
1
2
: the action or process of polishing
3
: a preparation that is used to produce a gloss and often a color for the protection and decoration of a surface
furniture polish
nail polish
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish
: the Slavic language of the Poles
Examples of polish in a Sentence
Verb
He spent the summer polishing his math skills.
you'll need to polish your shoes with a clean rag before the performance
Noun (1)
I need more shoe polish.
Did you use a wax polish on the table or an oil-based one?
The movie has the polish we've come to expect from that director.
He's rude and lacks polish.
Recent Examples on the Web
Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 3 Apr. 2025
Buff and Shine Next, a buffing wheel polishes the pieces to remove any rough edges or scratches.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2025
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2025
Aromas of bing cherry, subtle wood notes (furniture polish) and black orchid.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Lolita C. Baldor, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2025
There will also be an international dance group, too, representing other countries, which could be Italian, Polish, Hungarian and/or Greek.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for polish
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Verb
As part of its comeback efforts, Farfetch has been polishing the machinery of the business as well, slashing clearance and markdown activity, and extending its free returns policy to 30 days.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 3 Apr. 2025
Buff and Shine Next, a buffing wheel polishes the pieces to remove any rough edges or scratches.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2025
Noun
Using Stainless Polish On Your Fridge On the one hand, using stainless polish to clean a stainless steel fridge leaves a bright, attractive, reflective finish—but there's a downside.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 30 Mar. 2025
Aromas of bing cherry, subtle wood notes (furniture polish) and black orchid.
—Tom Hyland, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Their three bodies were recovered Monday after U.S., Polish and Lithuanian armed forces and other rescuers dug their M88 Hercules vehicle out of a peat bog at the expansive Gen. Silvestras Zukauskas training ground in the town of Pabrade, six miles west of the border with Belarus.
—Lolita C. Baldor, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2025
There will also be an international dance group, too, representing other countries, which could be Italian, Polish, Hungarian and/or Greek.
—Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for polish
Cite this Entry
“Polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polish. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
polish
1 of 4 verb
pol·ish
ˈpäl-ish 
1
: to make smooth and glossy usually by rubbing
2
: to smooth or improve in manners, condition, or style
3
: to bring to a highly developed or finished state
polish a technique
polisher
noun
polish
2 of 4 noun1
a
: a smooth glossy surface : luster
b
: good manners : refinement
2
: the action or process of polishing
3
: a substance prepared for use in polishing
shoe polish
nail polish
Polish
3 of 4 adjective
Pol·ish
ˈpō-lish
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish
Polish
4 of 4 noun
: the Slavic language of the Poles
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