airbrush
Americannoun
verb (used with object)
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to paint or decorate, using an airbrush.
to airbrush murals; to airbrush silk kimonos.
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to remove or alter by or as by means of an airbrush.
to airbrush facial lines from a photograph.
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to prettify or sanitize.
airbrushed versions of modern history.
noun
verb
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to paint or varnish (something) by using an airbrush
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to improve the image of (a person or thing) by concealing defects beneath a bland exterior
an airbrushed version of the government's record
Etymology
Origin of airbrush
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We cannot airbrush French Jews out of the republic's family photo".
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
Tennis Association has asked carriers to airbrush the reaction, tennis scribe Ben Rothenberg reported –Alcaraz-Sinner has become the best theater in sports.
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 7, 2025
Vekiarides said the public has set itself up for the wave of deepfakes by accepting the widespread use of image manipulation tools, such as the photo editors that virtually airbrush the imperfections from magazine-cover photos.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2024
They are then covered in chocolate ganache and modelling chocolate, before an airbrush pen is used to sculpt the characters.
From BBC • Jul. 23, 2024
Working in both oil and acrylic, she has experimented with different ways of applying and adjusting paint, sometimes using a silicone dish sponge, other times creatively wielding an airbrush.
From New York Times • Apr. 26, 2024
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
