retouches

Polishes photos digitally

Retouches is the verb form of retouch, meaning to make small improvements or corrections to something—typically a photograph, painting, or other visual work.

A photographer retouches portraits to smooth skin or adjust lighting.

The term extends to any minor touch-up: She retouches her makeup between meetings.

As a noun, retouches are the corrections themselves.

refine

polish

Smooth by rubbing

correct · revise · amend · finishing · detail · adjust · improve · fix · clean-up · smooth

photo

airbrush

Compressed-air paint sprayer

adjust · crop · sharpen · colorize · contrast · exposure · saturation · brightness · blemish · smooth

Opposites
modification vs. preservation

retouchespreserves

Cooked fruit in sugar

leaves alone · maintains · ignores

minor refinement vs. complete overhaul

retouchesremakes

New versions of originals

overhauls · rebuilds · reconstructs · recreates · redesigns

enhancement vs. degradation

retouchesdefaces

Damages surface appearance

damages · mars · degrades · ruins · blemishes

Phrases
Family

retouch, retouching, retouched, retoucher, retouchers

Familiarity
Top 200,000
Profile
Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G