dusting

noun

dust·​ing ˈdə-stiŋ 

plural dustings

1

: the act of making something clean by brushing or wiping away dirt and dust from the surface

The furniture needs a good dusting.

2

a

: a small amount of something that falls or is sprinkled over a surface

During summer, the cracked floor looks prehistoric under the desert sun; during winter, it's intermittently covered by sheets of ice and dustings of snow.

—Joseph Stromberg

Add pearl onions, mushrooms, and a dusting of marjoram.

—Hali Ramdene

b

: a faint or slight quality or amount

… sporting a dusting of stubble, DiSpirito runs Union Pacific, a paragon of gilded, inventive Manhattan dining.

—James Poniewozik

Examples of dusting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The decadent chocolate pound cake is topped with a simple dusting of powdered sugar. —Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 1 May 2026

The change makes for a supersmooth consistency and eye-popping hue that’s too beautifully sunny to hide under more than the sheerest dusting of powdered sugar. —Hannah Agran, Midwest Living, 29 Apr. 2026

The Tequila is fruity and herbaceous, with aromas of citrus and pineapple, herbal notes, subtle buttery notes, and a dusting of cinnamon. —Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2026

Highs will drop to the upper 50s and low 60s Sunday, with nighttime temperatures falling into the 40s and some areas possibly seeing hail or a dusting of snow on higher peaks. —Anthony Edwards, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for dusting

• busting
• crusting
• gusting
• lusting
• rusting
• thrusting
• trusting
• adjusting
• disgusting
• distrusting
• encrusting
• entrusting