polished
gb/pˈɑlɪʃt/ us/pˈɑlɪʃt/
A2
Anglais
~ 9600
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
property
1
smooth and shiny from rubbing
Smooth and bright because it was cleaned or rubbed a lot.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is polished
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse "polished" with "polite". "Polished" in this sense describes how a surface looks (smooth and shiny), not how a person behaves.
Synonymes
shiny (Very similar, but does not always suggest it was made that way by rubbing or cleaning.)
|
glossy (Often used for surfaces with a smooth, reflective finish, especially photos, magazines, or paint.)
Antonymes
dull (Describes a surface that is not bright or shiny.)
|
matte (Describes a surface that is flat and not shiny at all.)
Collocations
polished floor
|polished shoes
|polished wood
|polished marble
|highly polished
|polished surface
Thèmes
daily life
|appearance
|household
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The polished wooden table reflected the light from the window.
- He wore black polished shoes to the interview.
- The museum’s floor was so polished that you could see your face in it.
- Jewelry looks much better once it has a polished finish.
- The hotel lobby had polished marble columns and steps.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The kitchen floor is clean and polished.
- She put on her polished black shoes.
- The spoon is polished and very bright.
- The polished table looks new.
- I like the look of polished wood.
adjective
B2
property
2
highly skillful and well-finished
Done very well and carefully, with no rough or weak parts.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone/something] is polished
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes think "polished" only means "clean." In this sense it means the work or performance is very well prepared and finished, not physically cleaned.
Synonymes
refined (Emphasizes that something has been improved by removing rough or weak parts.)
|
professional (Highlights that something looks like it was done by an expert, often in a work setting.)
Antonymes
rough (Suggests something is not finished or carefully done.)
|
amateurish (Suggests something looks like it was done by someone without much skill or experience.)
Collocations
polished performance
|polished presentation
|polished speech
|polished style
|polished writing
|polished final product
Thèmes
work
|art
|communication
|business
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The actors delivered a polished performance on opening night.
- Her report was clear, concise, and very polished.
- The startup’s pitch deck looked surprisingly polished for such a new company.
- After several revisions, the article finally had a polished, professional tone.
- The software still feels useful but not yet polished enough for release.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The band gave a very polished show.
- His talk was short, clear, and polished.
- She wrote a polished essay for class.
- After practice, their dance looked polished.
- The movie has beautiful, polished visuals.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
having very refined manners
Very polite and smooth in the way you talk and act with other people.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] is polished
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "polished" instead of "polite" in everyday speech. "Polished" sounds more formal and suggests very high-level, smooth social behavior, not just basic politeness.
Synonymes
cultivated (Stresses education and cultural refinement as well as polite behavior.)
|
suave (Suggests smooth, confident politeness; sometimes hints at being too smooth or insincere.)
Antonymes
rough (Describes someone whose manners are basic or lacking refinement.)
|
awkward (Describes someone who is not smooth or at ease in social situations.)
Collocations
polished manners
|polished host
|polished gentleman
|polished speaker
|polished behavior
|polished social skills
Thèmes
social
|character
|emotions
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- He is a polished host who makes every guest feel welcome.
- Her polished manners impressed the interview panel.
- Despite his young age, he is a polished and confident networker.
- They expected polished behavior at such an exclusive event.
- The diplomat was known for his polished, diplomatic phrasing.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She is very polished at dinner.
- He speaks in a calm, polished way.
- The manager is polite and polished with clients.
- Her polished manners make people trust her.
- They want a polished person for this job.
Verbe
A2
action
4
rubbed until smooth and shiny
Past form of "polish": to rub something to make it smooth and bright.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] polished [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "cleaned" when they mean "polished." "Cleaned" means to remove dirt. "Polished" means to rub until the thing is smooth and shiny, which also usually cleans it.
Synonymes
shined (Common in everyday speech for shoes, floors, etc.; focuses on making something bright.)
|
buffed (Often used for cars, metal, or nails; suggests polishing with a special tool or cloth.)
Antonymes
scratched (Damaged the surface instead of making it smooth.)
|
dulled (Made the surface less bright or shiny.)
Collocations
polished the floor
|polished his shoes
|polished the table
|polished the silver
|carefully polished
|polished to a shine
Thèmes
daily life
|household
|work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She polished the table until it gleamed.
- He polished his shoes before the job interview.
- They polished the silverware for the holiday dinner.
- The cleaner polished the hotel lobby floor every morning.
- I polished the glass, but there are still a few marks on it.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I polished the car yesterday.
- He polished his black shoes.
- She polished the wooden desk.
- We polished the glasses before the party.
- They polished the floor after dinner.
Verbe
B2
action
5
improved by careful small changes
Made something better and more complete by fixing or changing small details.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] polished [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes only know the physical meaning of "polish" and miss this figurative use. In this sense, you polish ideas, writing, or plans, not physical surfaces.
Synonymes
refined (Emphasizes careful improvement by removing problems or rough parts.)
|
perfected (Suggests improving something until it has no faults.)
Antonymes
ruined (Made something much worse or unusable instead of improving it.)
|
roughened (Made something less smooth or finished, either literally or figuratively.)
Collocations
polished the script
|polished the speech
|polished the design
|polished the text
|polished the presentation
|polished his résumé
Thèmes
work
|communication
|education
|business
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- She polished her presentation the night before the conference.
- The editor polished the article to make the argument clearer.
- They polished the app’s design before showing it to investors.
- He polished his résumé to highlight his recent experience.
- We polished the training materials based on user feedback.
Exemples pédagogiques
- I polished my email before I sent it.
- She polished her report to make it clear.
- They polished the plan after the meeting.
- He polished his speech many times.
- We polished the story before we shared it.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
polished
API
GB/pˈɑlɪʃt/
US/pˈɑlɪʃt/
Syllabes et accentuation
pol - ished (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (pol)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: polished
Famille de mots
Core family
polish
verb A2
Related words
polisher
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unpolished
adjective
Expressions
a polished performance
1/ə pˈɑlɪʃt pɚfˈɔɹməns/
fixed phrase
very smooth, skillful performance
A show, talk, or act that looks very professional, with no clear mistakes.
Exemples
- The band gave a polished performance in front of thousands of fans.
- Despite being nervous, she delivered a polished performance in the final round.
- The team put on a polished performance that impressed the judges.
polished manners
1/pˈɑlɪʃt mˈænɚz/
fixed phrase
formal
very polite, refined behavior
Very polite and smooth ways of speaking and acting with other people.
Exemples
- Her polished manners made a strong impression at the formal dinner.
- He was known for his polished manners and calm, careful speech.
- In that culture, polished manners are highly valued in business meetings.
polished product
1/pˈɑlɪʃt pɹˈɑdʌkt/
fixed phrase
finished and refined result
A thing or result that is finished very well, with careful work on small details.
Exemples
- The game still has bugs, but it’s already a very polished product.
- They turned the rough prototype into a polished product in six months.
- Investors want to see a polished product, not just an idea.
polished prose
1/pˈɑlɪʃt pɹˈoʊz/
fixed phrase
carefully edited, smooth writing
Writing that is very clear, smooth, and well edited.
Exemples
- The novel is full of polished prose and vivid images.
- After several drafts, the article finally turned into polished prose.
- Editors helped the researcher turn rough notes into polished prose.
polished to perfection
1/pˈɑlɪʃt tə pɚfˈɛkʃən/
fixed phrase
improved until it seems perfect
Improved again and again until it looks or feels perfect.
Exemples
- Her routine was polished to perfection by the time of the competition.
- The chef’s menu has been polished to perfection over many years.
- The design was polished to perfection before the launch.