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Synonyms

unvarnished

American  
[uhn-vahr-nisht] / ʌnˈvɑr nɪʃt /

adjective

  1. plain; clear; straightforward; without vagueness or subterfuge; frank.

    the unvarnished truth.
    Synonyms:
    direct, candid, naked, bare

  2. unfinished, as floors or furniture; not coated with or as if with varnish.

unvarnished British  
/ ʌnˈvɑːnɪʃt /

adjective

  1. not elaborated upon or glossed; plain and direct

    the unvarnished truth
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unvarnished

First recorded in 1595–1605; un- 1 + varnish + -ed 3, -ed 2

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.

They clearly wanted the ratings miracle that Paul’s unvarnished wildness had lent “Mormon Wives.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026

The episode is also remembered as the last time a U.S. president resorted to an unvarnished nuclear threat, when Richard Nixon warned Moscow off by raising the U.S. military alert status to Defcon 3.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

What stands out in Annie is its relaxed, unvarnished portrait of student life: messy hostel rooms, friends lounging on charpoys smoking and arguing about everything from bureaucracy to exams, and a breezy irreverence toward authority.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Besides, there’s ample evidence that unvarnished, off-the-cuff statements can hurt musicians more than they help.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

There, at least, Meryl told the unvarnished truth.

From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield

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.