burnish
verb
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Definition of burnish
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Synonyms for burnish
Synonyms: Verb
buff, dress, furbish, gloss, grind, polish, rub, shine, smooth, smoothen
Synonyms: Noun
gloss, luminance, luster (or lustre), polish, sheen, shine
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Examples of burnish in a Sentence
Verb
burnished the floor of the ballroom to a soft lusterNoun
after some much-needed polishing, the silver tea set had a brilliant burnishRecent Examples on the Web: Verb
One family's winery dream at risk About six miles south of Larkmead Vineyards, Spottswoode wine maker Aron Weinkauf walks through the rows of deep purple Cabernet grapes that are responsible for the winery’s burnished reputation. — Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, "Climate change is coming for your wine. What the world's wineries are doing to save grapes," 28 Aug. 2019 Epstein had long deployed philanthropy to burnish his reputation. — Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, "The Failure to See What Jeffrey Epstein Was Doing," 18 Aug. 2019 But the public-relations apparatus responsible for managing Amazon’s relationship with our democracy has continued to undertake information operations designed to burnish its image. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "Amazon’s Twitter ambassadors are blurring the line between fact and fiction," 16 Aug. 2019 Nor was South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg – who has struck up a very public alliance with Sharpton in an attempt to burnish his standing with black voters – prodded about the hypocrisy on display. — Seth Mandel, Twin Cities, "Seth Mandel: Al Sharpton is not a lifelong fighter for justice," 2 Aug. 2019 But Canna-Hub, which builds facilities for California’s booming pot industry, intends to use the perk to burnish returns on a new 80-acre campus near Williams, Calif. — Noah Buhayar, Los Angeles Times, "Sex toys, not massage parlors, are allowed in Trump opportunity zone tax breaks," 19 July 2019 But Canna-Hub, which builds facilities for California’s booming pot industry, intends to use the perk to burnish returns on a new 80-acre campus near Williams, California. — Noah Buhayar, Fortune, "Sex Toys Allowed, Not Massages, in Fine Print of Trump Tax Break," 18 July 2019 Its color is like a setting sun, bronze, bright, burnished. — Angela Haupt, Washington Post, "‘Ellie and the Harpmaker’ plucks the heartstrings," 4 Aug. 2019 As sure as your sympathies lie with the workers, Lindon’s brusque authenticity burnishes the emotional pull of the intensely played, often fruitless back-and-forths with political appointees and stoic suits. — Robert Abele, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Review: Stéphane Brizé’s French drama ‘At War’ takes up the gritty cry of the working class," 2 Aug. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
As each streetlamp passed, the burnish of its reflected light rolled up alongside them on the asphalt, like a dolphin curious about a new boat in her waters, and then veered away. — Caleb Crain, Harper's magazine, "Talkin’ ’Bout a Revolution," 22 July 2019 Perhaps the open roasting caused the sugar to caramelize, adding a slightly bitter burnish that mitigated the awful sweetness. — Mimi Sheraton, The Seattle Times, "Sweet sorrow: A food critic wants maple syrup to die," 25 Sep. 2018 The reds of radishes and tomatoes, the burnish of crisped bacon and bright greens of beans and hardy lettuces showed through milky dressings that coated each piece. — Bonnie S. Benwick, charlotteobserver, "You don’t need romaine lettuce to make a great chopped salad | Charlotte Observer," 1 May 2018 A renovation, completed in late 2015, with updates this spring and summer to some of its signature restaurants, adds a new burnish to this destination, just as Mexico City itself is becoming a must-go spot, especially for the international jet set. — Melena Ryzik, New York Times, "In Mexico City, a Beacon of Luxury Shines Brighter," 7 Apr. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'burnish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for burnish
burnish
verb
English Language Learners Definition of burnish
See the full definition for burnish in the English Language Learners Dictionary
burnish
verb
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Kids Definition of burnish
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