polished

adjective

pol·​ished ˈpä-lisht How to pronounce polished (audio)
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

Examples of polished in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Equally important were the show’s recurring personalities: Tom Colicchio, a chef’s chef who ran some of New York City’s sharpest restaurants, was the gruff, no-nonsense industry veteran; Gail Simmons, from the magazine Food & Wine, was the polished, critically insightful diner. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2024 Meanwhile, a new crop of female artists began making their own country chart strides in the mid-2000s, including Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Kellie Pickler (all of whom offered up polished, sparkly personas and pop-country sounds). Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 23 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for polished 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polished.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English polisshed, from past participle of polisshen to polish

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Dictionary Entries Near polished

Cite this Entry

“Polished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polished. Accessed 3 May. 2024.

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