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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

unvarnished

The freewheeling discussions on rewatch podcasts also align with how younger consumers prefer to see their favorite celebrities presented — authentic, unvarnished and free of the restraint of public relations handlers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

Gibney, best known for "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" and "Taxi to the Dark Side", has called his latest film an "unvarnished" look at the powerful and culturally influential entrepreneur.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

So there’s no hype in the columns, just an unvarnished look at the highs and lows of an experience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Because when it comes to Madonna, nothing can compare to the unvarnished, utterly contradictory artist herself.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

As they mulled over their future, southern blacks looked to the Chicago Defender, a source of inspiration and the unvarnished truth about the world around them, for guidance.

From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield

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Related Words

• candid
• straightforward
• unadorned

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