VARNISHING Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

varnishing

verb

present participle of varnish

as in polishing

to cover (something) with varnish He varnished the table.

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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.

Recent Examples of varnishing Like most ’80s metal heroes who briefly lost their way in the late ’90s, Megadeth have spent the 21st century varnishing their legacy with what’s tried and true, delivering eight LPs since 2001 that all basically sound the same. — Eli Enis, Pitchfork, 26 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for varnishing

Verb

Live Edit, Video Capture, and Formats Snap Pro 26 continues to build on past iterations' strengths by keeping what worked and further polishing it.

— Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026
Founders often spend too much time polishing the story when skeptical early adopters are looking for evidence of execution.

— Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of polishing

Verb

For someone with a flexible foot or a narrow forefoot where the toes tend to crowd each other, separating the big toe from the second toe can reduce rubbing and irritation.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026
The forward has also trademarked his nickname ‘Cold Palmer’, a nod to his celebration, crossing and rubbing his arms as though to warm himself up.

— Hannah Vanbiber, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of rubbing

Verb

Instead of a pomade stick, Tauber recommends using Oribe Gel Sérum on coils, applying a generous amount around the hairline before smoothing it back with a boar bristle brush.

— Marci Robin, Allure, 21 Aug. 2026
The combination bristles feel amazing on my scalp (like the best head scratch ever) while also smoothing my incredibly frizzy hair.

— Kiana Murden, Vogue, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of smoothing

Verb

Most record-breaking perovskite cells in labs rely on spin-coating or wet-chemical solution processing, which doesn’t scale well to large, textured industrial silicon wafers.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
Bring to room temperature before portioning and coating in cinnamon-sugar.

— Rick Martinez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of coating

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varnishes

varnishing

vary

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“Varnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/varnishing. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of varnishing

verb

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