burnish
verb (used with object)
to polish (a surface) by friction.
have burnished
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present perfectof burnish.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
Some of big tech’s sidelines and acquisitions have turned into excellent businesses, and those triumphs have burnished the faith we have in their “celebrity CEOs and celebrity founders.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
García Harfuch — always decked out in suit and tie — transmits an aura of competence, and his media-savvy advisors have burnished his image as an implacable foe of the cartels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 29, 2025
By Monday morning, Lapid appeared to have burnished his security prowess for beating back what he said was an imminent threat from the Palestinian militant group.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 8, 2022
Negative real yields on Treasuries have burnished the attractiveness of stocks and other comparatively risky assets for more than two years, helping to underpin the S&P 500’s doubling from its March 2020 lows.
From Reuters ● Mar. 25, 2022
And the way "moderate" households, which are nevertheless perfectly run for their size and type, have burnished silver, is by using not more than they can have cleaned.
From Etiquette by Post, Emily
