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
Derived Forms
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.
Hilton, who cuts an unmistakable image with his bald crown and clipped English accent, proved himself as a polished communicator during the debates, skills honed by his years as a Fox News analyst.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
Two of those specimens turned out to contain fossilized animals that were nearly impossible to see with the naked eye because the amber pieces were never polished.
From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026
Poised and polished, with a sharp pantsuit and practiced smile, Fujimori looks like someone raised for politics.
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
The podcast they started years later was snarky and sharp but less polished.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
The seats were made of polished wood, most of them still empty as people filed in for the showing, and Penelope wasted no time sitting right in the front row nearest to the piano.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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.
