polished

American  

[pol-isht] / ˈpɒl ɪʃt /

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 British  

/ 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

Etymology

Origin of polished

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

Example Sentences

Baseball’s rules were standardized by middle-class Manhattan professionals who “squeezed all the wildness of the folk game into their polished diamond,” giving it a sheen of gentility.

From The Wall Street Journal

The apps I made looked polished, worked well and were intuitive to use.

From BBC

Complaints should be judged based on hard evidence like documents, transaction records and clear procedures—not on how polished the writing is.

From The Wall Street Journal

Father polished his glasses with his napkin and started to read, his deep voice lingering lovingly over the words.

From Literature

She stepped heavily down from the rostrum and pointed the polished pointer at Pearl.

From Literature

Related Words

• bright
• burnished
• glistening
• refined
• shiny
• smooth
• urbane