rubbing alcohol

noun

: a cooling and soothing liquid for external application that contains approximately 70 percent denatured ethanol or isopropanol

Examples of rubbing alcohol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Also, many stainless steel surfaces have a coating that can be damaged by rubbing alcohol. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 June 2026

The personnel there will provide further instructions on what to do with the specimen, whether freezing it or preserving it in rubbing alcohol. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 June 2026

Treat the Bite Site Treat the tick bite site with rubbing alcohol or wash the area with soap and warm water to prevent secondary infection, Teel says. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 14 June 2026

Bonus tip for this trick: Add a small amount of rubbing alcohol to the water right before freezing so the mixture turns into a soft-gel pack rather than a completely solid one. — Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rubbing alcohol

• chloramphenicol
• dithiothreitol
• geospatial
• isopropanol
• paracetamol
• peroxisomal
• visuospatial
• aerosol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball

Kids Definition

rubbing alcohol

noun

: a cooling and soothing solution for use on the outside of the body that contains an alcohol and water

Medical Definition

rubbing alcohol

noun

rub·​bing alcohol ˈrəb-iŋ-ˌ 

: a cooling and soothing liquid for external application that contains approximately 70 percent denatured ethanol or isopropyl alcohol