Meaning & use
varnish
Last updated
A clear protective coating applied to wood or other surfaces to give a hard, glossy finish; also, to apply such a coating.
See it in a sentence
He applied a fresh coat of varnish to the old wooden table.
Politicians often varnish the truth to make bad news sound better.
A note on using this word
Used figuratively, 'to varnish' something means to disguise or gloss over unpleasant facts, similar to 'sugarcoat.'
Words with a similar meaning
lacquershellac
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
To disguise or gloss over something unpleasant to make it seem better than it is.
The report varnished the company's disappointing sales figures.
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