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
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.
El-Sayed is not Platner; he’s been in electoral politics for nearly a decade and has a polished résumé.
From Slate ● Jul. 18, 2026
Then came artificial intelligence, which has made it easy for everyone to dash off a polished note on why they’re the best fit for the job — and do that repeatedly.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
But when we spoke about his second solo album, “Acomodo,” the Nayarit-born, Sinaloa-raised singer, whose real name is Jesús Roberto Laija García, arrived polished, perfumed and poised.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
The album was preceded in May by “Rough and Twisted,” a wandering blues number with riffs like barbed wire, and “In the Stars,” which softens arena rock with polished backing vocals.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Soldiers, wearing crisp uniforms with shiny buttons and carefully polished shoes, were lined up in neat rows, saluting him.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
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.
