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

Powdery mildew is among the most widespread plant diseases and is easily recognized by its white growth that covers foliage like a dusting of flour. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025

Sew Into a Dusting Mitt Take the tough fabric and turn it into a glove, which can act as a DIY dusting mitt around the house. —Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025

Choose a Telescoping Tool for Dusting Specialized dusting tools, brooms, and wet or dry mops are the tools to reach for to clean baseboards without having to bend over. —Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Dec. 2025

Blowing snow and snow squalls are possible with accumulation from a dusting to 2 inches by the end of the day. —Stacey Duford, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025

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