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

In fact, using socks for dusting is a great way to clean hard-to-reach areas that can be overlooked (like ceiling fan blades) or delicate items like picture frames. — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 17 June 2026

Giving walls a periodic dusting with a microfiber mop or extendable duster can significantly reduce how quickly debris accumulates below. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 13 June 2026

Agricultural dusting, wildfire suppression, aerial refueling, combat search and rescue, and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) are just a few of the mission sets where autonomous systems could play a critical role. — Tim Burns, Fortune, 9 June 2026

Its edges are ever-so-slightly charred, offering a subtle bitter note to cut through the richness of garlic oil and generous dusting of grated provolone, delivering a sharp, delightful funk to each crunchy bite. — Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 1 June 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