burnish ˈbər-nish verb and noun
verb: polish and make shiny
verb: bring to a highly developed, finished or refined state
noun: the property of being smooth and shiny
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The word burnish has appeared in 109 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on May 1 in “Bill Nye Is Still Having Fun With Science” by Alyson Krueger:
For Mr. Brainard, it was also a matter of credibility. “It was during this time when nobody knew what was happening so they turned to the people they trusted, and for us, that was Bill Nye,” he said. “I will do anything Bill Nye tells me to do.”
That sense of trust has also prompted numerous brands to approach Mr. Nye to become their spokesman, especially brands that want to burnish their commitment to the sciences and climate change in particular.
“Bill is a world-renowned science educator and environmental advocate, and we are partnering with him to spread awareness,” said Dani Reiss, the president of Canada Goose, the outdoor apparel company, which hired Mr. Nye in April to be a sustainability adviser.
Daily Word Challenge
Can you correctly use the word burnish in a sentence?
Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.
Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.
If you want a better idea of how burnish can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.
If you enjoy this daily challenge, try one of our monthly vocabulary challenges.
Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.
