unvarnished
adjective
un·var·nished
ˌən-ˈvär-nisht 
1
a
: not adorned or glossed : plain, straightforward
told the unvarnished truth
2
: not coated with or as if with varnish : crude, unfinished
Synonyms
Examples of unvarnished in a Sentence
If you want my unvarnished opinion, the movie stinks.
I'm telling the unvarnished truth.
Recent Examples on the Web
The dictations began to coalesce into essays that combined tales of his former, able-bodied life with unvarnished assessments of his medical and mental conditions.
—
Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2025
The unvarnished quality of the video footage, specifically its tracking lines, informs the entire film’s retro aesthetic.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
In a genre often criticized for its performative drama, Quad strikes the perfect balance between delivering just enough theatrics to keep viewers hooked and grounding it all with a dose of unvarnished reality.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 24 Jan. 2025
Bullying, accompanied by threats from the world’s richest man, is the Trump Effect in unvarnished form.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unvarnished 
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.
Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2025
The unvarnished quality of the video footage, specifically its tracking lines, informs the entire film’s retro aesthetic.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
In a genre often criticized for its performative drama, Quad strikes the perfect balance between delivering just enough theatrics to keep viewers hooked and grounding it all with a dose of unvarnished reality.
—Shelby Stewart, Essence, 24 Jan. 2025
Bullying, accompanied by threats from the world’s richest man, is the Trump Effect in unvarnished form.
—Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unvarnished
Dictionary Entries Near unvarnished
Cite this Entry
“Unvarnished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unvarnished. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unvarnished
adjective
un·var·nished
ˌən-ˈvär-nisht
ˈən-
1
: not adorned or exaggerated : plain
the unvarnished truth
2
: not varnished
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share