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

But, with gentle dusting and no direct sunlight, this wreath can last up to two years. —Izzy Baskette, People.com, 14 Sep. 2025

The 'crust' was buttercream and a dusting of cocoa powder. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025

Bake them until golden brown and serve warm with a dusting of powdered sugar for a bakery-quality treat right at home. —Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2025

Use the floor brush for stairs, the crevice tool for windowsills and couch cushions, and the dusting brush for dusty surfaces. —Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 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