bleach

1 of 2

verb

ˈblēch 

bleached; bleaching; bleaches

transitive verb

1

: to remove color or stains from

2

a

: to make whiter or lighter especially by physical or chemical removal of color

bleach clothing

the sun had bleached her hair

b

: to remove, make dull, or sanitize as if by removing color

bleaches colonialism of its genocidal legacy

—H. A. Giroux

intransitive verb

1

: to grow white or lose color

2

of coral : to expel symbiotic zooxanthellae exposing a white skeleton

bleachable

ˈblē-chə-bəl 

adjective

bleach

2 of 2

noun

1

: the act or process of bleaching

2

: a preparation used in bleaching

3

: the degree of whiteness obtained by bleaching

Synonyms

Verb

• blanch
• blench
• decolorize
• dull
• fade
• pale
• snow
• wash out
• whiten

Examples of bleach in a Sentence

Verb

bones bleached white by the sun

She bleached her hair blonde.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Four years ago, researchers near Australia’s Great Barrier Reef carried out a similar study in hopes that cloud brightening could protect the region’s corals from bleaching in over-warm waters. —Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Apr. 2024

While the southern part of the reef is the most affected, the reef authority has received reports of bleaching from all other regions of the marine park. —Helen Regan, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024

Gosling decided to bleach his hair at the last minute, after a wig didn’t look right. —Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 7 Feb. 2024

So two, three of the guys that are going on their missions bleached their hair. —David Chiu, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024

If ocean temperatures continue to break records, that could bleach corals, generate more intense and fast-developing hurricanes, drive coastal temperatures up and make extreme precipitation more likely — events scientists already observed in 2023. —Evan Bush, NBC News, 15 Mar. 2024

Not all corals die after being bleached, but this NOAA report reveals that many did. —Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2024

The church is nestled in a quiet neighborhood of modest homes with overgrown yards and bleached white fences. —Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2024

Another obstacle: Light from reflective snow cover occasionally bleached the already low-resolution images. —Bennet Goldstein, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024

Noun

There were no more bleach bottles by LA’s Totally Awesome, but the rest of the brand’s cleaning products were available. —Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024

Upon arrival, officers noticed the scent of ammonia and bleach, as well as bloodstains in the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, the BBC reported. —Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024

Her hair was short and bleach blond, her lips dark red. —Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2024

Rocking Balvin’s bleach blond buzz cut, the figure pays tribute to the singer’s Met Gala debut. —Griselda Flores, Billboard, 22 Mar. 2024

To combat the likelihood of these things, Schneider suggested: Clean feeders weekly using a 10-percent bleach solution – one part bleach to nine parts water – and rinse them thoroughly. —USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024

The brand recommends washing the towels separately in warm water without bleach or fabric softener and tumble drying them on a low heat setting to care for them properly. —Toni Sutton, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024

Soak the feeder in a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water. —Katie Wiseman, The Courier-Journal, 19 Mar. 2024

Anyone can experience contact dermatitis, especially if you are exposed to an irritant in a high enough concentration (such as to bleach or poison ivy). —Amanda Gardner, Health, 4 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English blechen, going back to Old English blǣcan, going back to Germanic *blaikjan- (whence also Middle Dutch bleken "to bleach, whiten," Old High German bleichen "to make pale," Old Icelandic bleikja "to bleach"), weak verb derivative of *blaik- "bright" (whence Old English blāc "bright, shining, pale," Old Saxon blēk, Middle Dutch bleec, Old High German bleih, Old Icelandic bleikr), going back to dialectal Indo-European *b^hlei̯ǵ-, whence also Old Church Slavic blĭštati sę, bliscati sę "to sparkle, glitter," bliskŭ "flash (of lightning)," Lithuanian blỹksti "to become white or pale," bliskė́ti, bliškė́ti "to shine, sparkle"

Note: See also note at black entry 1.

Noun

derivative of bleach entry 1.

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1746, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bleach

1 of 2 verb

ˈblēch 

1

: to remove color or stains from

2

: to make whiter or lighter

3

: to grow white : lose color

bleach

2 of 2 noun

1

: the act or process of bleaching

2

: a chemical used in bleaching