# you can't polish a turd

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/you-cant-polish-a-turd
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Something inherently unfavourable or unpleasant cannot be improved.

## Examples

- That old car is broken; you can't polish a turd.
- The marketing team tried to make the failed product look better, but they soon realized you can't polish a turd.
- Despite the architect's desperate attempts to renovate the crumbling structure, he eventually conceded that you can't polish a turd.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.