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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of buffing
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
These provide enough force for buffing out scratches without further damaging the surface.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Finish by cleaning the area with the vinegar and water mixture and buffing it to a shine.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
For extra shine, Sokolowski suggests buffing lightly with a dry cloth.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
The singer, born Cassandra Monique Batie, also colored her waterline with black, buffing gray and brown tones underneath.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
To start, apply a base coat that's similar to your nails, and finish off by buffing in a milky white hue on the tips.
—Taylor Augustin Littlejohn, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
If the bloom's appearance bothers you, remove it by applying a small amount of oil, such as cooking oil or baby oil, to a soft cloth, then gently buffing it away in a circular motion.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Application involves lightly buffing the nail, applying the adhesive, and pressing each faux nail into place.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2025
Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 27 Apr. 2026
These provide enough force for buffing out scratches without further damaging the surface.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
Finish by cleaning the area with the vinegar and water mixture and buffing it to a shine.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 4 Mar. 2026
For extra shine, Sokolowski suggests buffing lightly with a dry cloth.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 17 Jan. 2026
The singer, born Cassandra Monique Batie, also colored her waterline with black, buffing gray and brown tones underneath.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
To start, apply a base coat that's similar to your nails, and finish off by buffing in a milky white hue on the tips.
—Taylor Augustin Littlejohn, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
If the bloom's appearance bothers you, remove it by applying a small amount of oil, such as cooking oil or baby oil, to a soft cloth, then gently buffing it away in a circular motion.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Dec. 2025
Application involves lightly buffing the nail, applying the adhesive, and pressing each faux nail into place.
—Georgia Day, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buffing
Verb
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Harvest quinoa by hitting the flower stalks against a hard surface or rubbing them between your hands to separate the seeds from the flower parts or chaff.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Apr. 2026
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An employee washed hands for less than 10 seconds at the sushi bar, and the inspector wants to see 10-15 seconds of your hands rubbing each other.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With just over a month before the FIFA World Cup, Downtown Dallas is polishing, planning, and preparing for what could be one of the busiest stretches the city has ever seen.—
Steve Pickett,
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Remove the stain by simply polishing it.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Embrace the act of adding to a work table's patina, let your copper sit on display, and don't worry about sanding and re-staining old wood.—
Tessa Cooper,
The Spruce,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The technique still needs sanding, and zero interceptions in 48 career games is concerning, but McCutchin’s combine testing gave his draft case a nice shot of nitrous.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Unlike many mineral sunscreens that can sit heavily on the skin, this one absorbs quickly and has a lightweight, smoothing effect.—
Brigitt Earley,
Glamour,
24 Apr. 2026
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But smoothing the appearance of fine lines around your eyes does not require a 12-step regimen or an appointment at the dermatologist’s office.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Their experiments confirmed that adding a single squirt of water to coffee beans before grinding can significantly reduce the static electric charge on the resulting grounds.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
28 Apr. 2026
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This stock was a disaster from May 2025 through the November lows near $48, losing roughly half its value in a grinding downtrend.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Application workshops on filing a claim will be held in Boise on May 1-2 at the Idaho State Museum in Julia Davis Park.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Apr. 2026
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Two Stagecoach festival attendees, Ellie, 27, and Angelique, 22, sat at tables farther back from the stage watching people filing out of the festival.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mercury moves through your 1st House of Identity, sharpening your voice and making your words more direct than usual.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
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According to Plunge, cold-water immersion triggers norepinephrine, a chemical messenger that delivers a burst of energy while sharpening focus.—
Samantha Agate,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Buffing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buffing. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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