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.

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unvarnished British  

/ ʌnˈvɑːnɪʃt /

adjective

1. not elaborated upon or glossed; plain and direct

   the unvarnished truth

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Etymology

Origin of unvarnished

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

Example Sentences

Now, judging by Marina Zenovich’s unvarnished profile, a viewer would prefer to be almost anywhere else, short of an emergency room.

From The Wall Street Journal

The sentiment is typical of Tom: backward-looking, unvarnished and more than a little unjust.

From The Wall Street Journal

As she grabbed the mic again for the streamer in 2025 — this time on a glitzy stage wearing a golden gown — her unvarnished style of storytelling shows us why she’s resonating with much of America.

From Los Angeles Times

Here is the harsh and unvarnished truth: Joint tenancy comes with survivorship rights.

From MarketWatch

Having been exposed to something like “Deadwood,” with its, shall we say, unvarnished depiction of the frontier, audiences may find “The Abandons” a bit too tidy to be believed.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• candid
• straightforward
• unadorned