1
: a thin sheet of a material: such as
a
: a layer of wood of superior value or excellent grain to be glued to an inferior wood
b
: any of the thin layers bonded together to form plywood
c
: a plastic or porcelain coating bonded to the surface of a cosmetically imperfect tooth
2
: a protective or ornamental facing (as of brick or stone)
veneered; veneering; veneers
1
: to overlay or plate (a surface, as of a common sort of wood) with a thin layer of finer wood for outer finish or decoration
broadly
: to face with a material giving a superior surface
2
: to cover over with a veneer
especially
: to conceal (something, such as a defect of character) under a superficial and deceptive attractiveness
veneerer
noun
Examples of veneer in a Sentence
Noun
a wall with a stone veneer
a dresser with mahogany veneer
Verb
The cabinet was veneered in oak.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
Surviving Mormonism fractures the church’s seemingly perfect veneer to expose the secrets that have been kept behind closed doors.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2023
And if Psyche does have a rocky mantle, ferrovolcanic seeps could have veneered it with metal from the asteroid’s core.
—Michael Greshko, National Geographic, 18 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for veneer
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Noun
But beneath the veneer of the status quo, macro anxieties about the state of the country and everyday financial strain are weighing on consumers heavily, according to the Kearney Consumer Institute’s (KCI) Q3 2025 update of the Consumer Stress Index.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 23 Oct. 2025
Surviving Mormonism fractures the church’s seemingly perfect veneer to expose the secrets that have been kept behind closed doors.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
Verb
Your table is almost certainly veneered, meaning that the top has a thin layer of beautiful wood glued to a base material, which could be plywood or particleboard.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2023
And if Psyche does have a rocky mantle, ferrovolcanic seeps could have veneered it with metal from the asteroid’s core.
—Michael Greshko, National Geographic, 18 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for veneer
Cite this Entry
“Veneer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veneer. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
veneer
1 of 2 noun
ve·neer
və-ˈni(ə)r 
1
: a thin layer of wood bonded to other wood usually to provide a finer surface or a stronger structure
2
: a protective or ornamental facing (as of brick)
veneer
2 of 2 verb
: to cover with a veneer
Medical Definition
veneer
noun
ve·neer
və-ˈni(ə)r
: a plastic or porcelain coating bonded to the surface of a cosmetically imperfect tooth
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