polished

[pol-isht]

adjective

1. made smooth and glossy.

   a figurine of polished mahogany.

2. naturally smooth and glossy.

   polished pebbles on the beach.

3. refined, cultured, or elegant.

   a polished manner.

4. flawless; skillful; excellent.

   a polished conversationalist.

polished

/ ˈpɒlɪʃt /

adjective

1. accomplished

   a polished actor

2. impeccably or professionally done

   a polished performance

3. (of rice) having had the outer husk removed by milling

Other Word Forms

• unpolished adjective
• well-polished adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of polished¹

First recorded in 1325–75, polished is from the Middle English word polist. See polish, -ed ²

Example Sentences

If the 1990s brought fruity martinis into clubs, social media brought them to every bar in America — polished, staged and algorithmically optimized.

Read more on Salon

Wallen’s music is commercial and polished; Bryan’s is stripped down and frayed.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

As students, we’re told to chase success, internships, perfect GPAs and polished résumés.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“It’s polished concrete floor, it’s exposed ceilings, it’s proper lighting. Nice checkout counters,” said Gabriel Navarro, managing director for MMG Equity Partners, which has three Goodwill stores in its South Florida shopping-center portfolio.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The centre's player-of-the-match performance showed off his polished all-round game, with his fast feet, deft boot and soft hands playing key roles in England's three tries.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• bright 
• burnished www.thesaurus.com
• glistening www.thesaurus.com
• refined 
• shiny 
• smooth 
• urbane