dry cleaning

noun

1
: the cleansing of fabrics with substantially nonaqueous organic solvents
2
: something that is dry-cleaned

Examples of dry cleaning in a Sentence

I can pick up the dry cleaning on my way home.
Recent Examples on the Web For extremely delicate or old items, dry cleaning may be the only way to clean the item without damaging it. Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Sep. 2024 There are even eco-friendly fabrics, such as Mango’s fluid, lyocell version, to round out the mix, which doesn’t require dry cleaning—simply wash and hang dry. Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2024 She was born to Chinese immigrant parents in San Francisco, where the family lived behind their dry cleaning business. Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2024 Putting an item through the spin cycle of a washing machine or tumbling it in a hot dryer instead of hand-washing, air drying, or dry cleaning as advised can cause fabric fibers to prematurely break off and pill. Christina Pérez, Vogue, 15 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dry cleaning 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dry cleaning.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry cleaning was in 1855

Dictionary Entries Near dry cleaning

Cite this Entry

“Dry cleaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry%20cleaning. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on dry cleaning

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