buffing

verb

present participle of buff
1
as in rubbing
to make smooth by friction she learned to buff semiprecious stones in order to make her own jewelry

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polishing
to make smooth or glossy usually by repeatedly applying surface pressure the janitor buffed the lobby floor until it shone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of buffing If the copper is heavily tarnished, let the toothpaste’s active ingredients work on the patina for ten minutes or so before buffing. — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 6 Sep. 2026 Classes and skills lean into different styles of play; Astromech droids are entirely support-focused, generating AP (action points) and buffing the party, while the Assault is focused on heavy damage and drawing aggro. — Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Rapinchuk adds that a Magic Eraser is a useful cleaning tool for buffing out scuffs and marks. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 24 Aug. 2026 Start by pushing back your cuticles, lightly buffing your nails, and filing the tips for a nice and tidy canvas. — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026 Most people use the miracle sponge for buffing out wall or floor scuffs, but Macqueen’s recommendation is an eye-opener. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2026 Use an applicator pad (often supplied with the wax) and start buffing with a fresh microfiber towel. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 Ngo coats the nail with a matte primer, which creates a smooth base, before buffing eye shadow across the surface with a nail sponge. — Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 27 Apr. 2026 Keep one slightly damp microfiber cloth for cleaning and one dry microfiber cloth for buffing. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffing
  1. rubbing
  2. polishing
  3. sanding
  4. smoothing
  5. grinding
  6. filing
  7. sharpening
Verb
  • The bigger claim making the rounds, that a few minutes of face rubbing can quiet your body’s stress response, is where dermatologists urge a little caution.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In this case, there’s no swiping or rubbing at all—just let the pads sit and soak in for a few minutes before gently patting in the excess.
    — Jenny Jin, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of rubbing
Verb
  • The Duchess of Edinburgh even got hands-on experience shaping and polishing a quartz gemstone.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Before Bay Area readers start polishing their debate trophies, remember these studies are conversation starters, not final verdicts.
    — James Ward, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of polishing
Verb
  • The roughly 7,300-square-foot residence has been adapted for contemporary living without completely sanding away what came before.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Bass delves into the ease (or difficulty) of loving people in terms anyone could grasp, sanding down the uniqueness of Cyrus’s viewpoint.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of sanding
Verb
  • When styling this haircut, use a smoothing serum or oil, which will come in handy after the hair is dry.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Also hard at work are ectoin and panthenol, which are rockstars for reducing inflammation, smoothing texture, and, similarly to beta-glucan, forming a protective seal over your skin to keep moisture in and external stressors out.
    — Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of smoothing
Verb
  • Hitler wanted more dead, but his early lightning victories—Poland beaten in weeks, France in forty days—had turned into a grinding nightmare for the Nazis.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The Raunchiest Miley Cyrus shocked viewers by stripping down to a nude bikini top and briefs and grinding, twerking and thrusting on fellow performer Robin Thicke at the 2013 show in one of the raciest performances in MTV history.
    — Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of grinding
Verb
  • Known for his exacting, couture-like approach, and an experimental zeal rare among designers at Europe’s largest luxury brands, the Frenchman got his start in fashion by filing, photocopying and cataloguing fabrics at Jean Paul Gaultier.
    — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Examples under laws enforced by the Labor Commissioner include filing certain wage complaints, exercising rights under the Labor Code and raising some workplace health or safety concerns.
    — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of filing
Verb
  • Wear Lipstick in Russian Red, sharpening around the mouth with Jones Road The Lip Pencil in Tawny Nude.
    — Fawnia Soo Hoo, Allure, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That is not Brutus sharpening his dagger on the Senate steps – that is what good governance looks like, and by any rule of good governance, Goldman Sachs is lucky to have David Solomon continuing at the helm.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of sharpening

Browse Nearby Words

buffi
buffing
buffo
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Cite this Entry

“Buffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffing. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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