polish

1 of 4

verb

pol·​ish ˈpä-lish How to pronounce polish (audio)
polished; polishing; polishes
Synonyms of polish

transitive verb

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

intransitive verb

: to become smooth or glossy by or as if by friction
polisher noun

polish

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
a
: a smooth glossy surface : luster
b
somewhat old-fashioned : freedom from rudeness or coarseness : culture
c
: a state of high development or refinement
The movie has the polish we've come to expect from that director.
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

Polish

3 of 4

adjective

Pol·​ish ˈpō-lish How to pronounce Polish (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish

Polish

4 of 4

noun (2)

: the Slavic language of the Poles

Synonyms of polish

Relevance

Verb

Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
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
This matching set from Amazon does exactly that, featuring a flattering high neckline and breezy cropped pants that are polished enough to wear straight from the airport to your destination. — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2026 While a classic button-down shirt is always timeless, a peplum top offers the same wearability with a waist-defining silhouette that instantly polishes any bottom they’re paired with. — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 1 Aug. 2026
Noun
Kyliushyk prefers to mix polishes to create a custom almond milk shade, as nail artist Charlotte Knight did in the photo above. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026 The soft straps keep your foot secure without rubbing, while subtle height adds polish without sacrificing comfort. — Paris Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 31 July 2026
Adjective
News that the 666 to Hel was back has spread quickly across Polish social media accounts, and beyond. — Anna Noryskiewicz, CBS News, 1 June 2026 The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, who served as the European Council’s president, urged maximum understanding for Zelensky. — Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
Renowned French indie actor Denis Lavant plays a pivotal role in the film where the dialogue is in Spanish, Swedish, French and Polish. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 30 July 2026 Investigators found fragments indicating that the object that fell from the sky was a Russian Kh-101 missile, Polish news agency PAP reported. — Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for polish

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English polisshen, from Anglo-French poliss-, stem of polir, from Latin polire

Adjective

Pole

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun (1)

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Adjective

1592, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1555, in the meaning defined above

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

Phrases Containing polish

Rhymes for polish

See All Rhymes for polish

Browse Nearby Words

poli-sci
polish
Polish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polish. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

polish

1 of 4 verb
pol·​ish ˈpäl-ish How to pronounce polish (audio)
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 noun
1
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 How to pronounce Polish (audio)
: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish

Polish

4 of 4 noun
: the Slavic language of the Poles

More from Merriam-Webster on polish

Nglish: Translation of polish for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All