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to airbrush

to airbrush

9 4.2
To change a photo to remove marks or make people look smoother
  • verb
  • /ˈɛrˌbrʌʃ/
translation icon : retocar
  • Make sure you airbrush out the kid's acne, okay?
  • airbrushed to perfection
  • airbrushed photo
  • airbrushed picture

It is of a piece with rewriting books or airbrushing people out of photographs.

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Examples

  • If I had the cash, I would have just had it airbrushed.

    Blog text (6)
  • "I'll probably have to airbrush or use the clone tool in some areas.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • We would airbrush out the red eyes in the pictures if they wanted.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • So the nice thing about this is it just airbrushes that blush on your face.

  • The image on the right is the original; the one on the left is the airbrushed/fixed photo of JLH.

    Blog text (31)
  • She'd had all the wrinkles airbrushed out.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • They're all airbrushed and retouched.

  • They then airbrushed out all the skin damage, the sun damage, all of that stuff, the uneven skin tone.

  • If you don't know that Playboy models are airbrushed, then I recommend doing research.

    Blog text (11)
  • The photographer decided to airbrush the model's blemishes to create a flawless look.

Synonyms

to retouch
vsto airbrush
8 4.2

To make small changes to the look of hair or a photo

often changes images more broadly to hide flaws or alter features
to photoshop
vsto airbrush
5 4.8

To change a photo on a computer to make someone or something look different

includes both digital and manual methods rather than only software

How Extensive

to manipulate
382 6.1
to airbrush
9 4.2
to edit
337 1.5
to correct
483 1.0
to retouch
8 4.2

Surface Forms

airbrush infinitive
airbrushed past
airbrushed past participle
airbrushing present participle
airbrushes third person singular

Etymology

Airbrush also grew to mean changing a photo to make it look better. Because artists used the airbrush to 'smooth' skin and 'hide' marks, people now 'airbrush' photos or digital images to remove flaws and make them look perfect.