unvarnished

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Her performance is staggeringly human, so honest and unvarnished that it immediately calls to mind Meryl Streep’s similarly prickly work in “Sophie’s Choice.”

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

Seattle linebacker Ernest Jones IV stepped up to the microphone and with unvarnished vigor defended his quarterback.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

What stands out in Annie is its relaxed, unvarnished portrait of student life: messy hostel rooms, friends lounging on charpoys smoking and arguing about everything from bureaucracy to exams, and a breezy irreverence toward authority.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Observing his morality and mind on unvarnished display at Davos, the leaders of middle-sized countries could conclude only that Carney’s was the most plausible path to not just peace and prosperity but, perhaps, survival.

From Slate • Jan. 21, 2026

In their luxurious sublet in Ann Arbor, Mia had taken various pieces of her hosts’ furniture apart and arranged the components—bolts as thick as her finger, unvarnished crossbeams, disembodied feet—into animals.

From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng