wash away

phrasal verb

washed away; washing away; washes away
1
: to carry (something) away by the movement of water
The bridge was washed away by flooding last year.
2
: to get rid of (something, such as unhappy or unpleasant thoughts) completely
Take a vacation to wash away your troubles.

Examples of wash away in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At Holme-next-the-sea in 1998, a circular construction of wooden pieces emerged from the shoreline as the sand washed away, revealing what would eventually become known as Seahenge. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 3 June 2024 Last July’s flooding from torrential rains inundated Vermont’s capital city of Montpelier, the nearby city Barre, some southern Vermont communities and ripped through homes and washed away roads around the rural state. Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 1 June 2024 In July 1916, the Asheville area was deluged by back-to-back tropical storms that tore apart river bridges and roads, washed away businesses and left large parts of the city under water. Craig E. Colten, Discover Magazine, 30 May 2024 In addition to taking Lucas’ life, the floodwaters totaled the family’s only car, ruined their cellphones and washed away their wallets, according to Joe Warren, who organized a GoFundMe for the Warren family. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 6 May 2024 However, sexism in the sport hasn’t washed away overnight. Frankie Adkins, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Mar. 2023 The current exposes layers upon layers of sediment that took millions of years to form, but just decades to wash away. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 16 May 2024 The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane struck with an intensity that would be unparalleled for the next half-century, washing away 40 miles of track and dooming the railway for good. Teddy Brokaw, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2024 When you’re done, remove the crystals and rinse them under running fresh water to wash away residual salt. Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 14 May 2024

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

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Cite this Entry

“Wash away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wash%20away. Accessed 15 Jun. 2024.

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