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

Just before the Winter Olympics kicked off, Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Dolomite town that will play host to a number of the Games’ alpine events, received a healthy dusting of fresh snow, easing earlier concerns about snow reliability after a warm start to the winter. —Simmone Shah, Time, 9 Feb. 2026

The Running Point actress accentuated her features with an iridescent frosty white and light pink eyeshadow, a dusting of highlighter on her pink cheeks, and a glossy nude lipstick. —Lara Walsh, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026

Finish with a dusting of Parmesan cheese for an extra savory breakfast. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026

This Breitling Lady Premier Automatic in 36 mm contains Breitling’s in-house automatic caliber 10 with a 42-hour power reserve, but retains a feminine sensibility, with a colorful dial and dusting of diamonds on the lugs and bezel. —Carol Besler, Robb Report, 6 Feb. 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