polished
Americanadjective
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made smooth and glossy.
a figurine of polished mahogany.
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naturally smooth and glossy.
polished pebbles on the beach.
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refined, cultured, or elegant.
a polished manner.
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flawless; skillful; excellent.
a polished conversationalist.
adjective
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accomplished
a polished actor
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impeccably or professionally done
a polished performance
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(of rice) having had the outer husk removed by milling
Other Word Forms
- unpolished adjective
- well-polished adjective
Etymology
Origin of polished
First recorded in 1325–75, polished is from the Middle English word polist. See polish, -ed 2
Explanation
Something that's polished has been perfected — either by being rubbed until it's shiny or practiced until it appears skilled and elegant. A polished diamond is bright, with a smooth, shining surface that reflects light. For an object to be polished, someone has to polish it, rubbing and buffing until it shines. You can also have a figuratively polished version of your essay that's been spruced up through careful editing. If a person is polished, they're graceful or accomplished: "Her polished style of speaking was almost intimidating!"
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 listeners find continuity in Arirang's polished and experimental sound co-created by American producers and engineers, but others say this album is too highly produced, missing the raw passion of Dark & Wild.
From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026
For Bennett, the emergence of modern country music in the early 2000s -- with a highly polished, more pop sound and repeated "melodic shapes" -- is key.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
Where Fausset’s story was clumsy enough to draw immediate institutional embarrassment, Bernstein’s is polished enough to escape the same reckoning.
From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026
Bees, however, often coat their nests with a waxy secretion that creates a waterproof, polished interior.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
Whatshername is polished and professional and probably ten years older than my grandma.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
