greenwashing

1 of 2

noun

green·​wash·​ing ˈgrēn-ˌwȯ-shiŋ 

-ˌwä-

: the act or practice of making a product, policy, activity, etc. appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is

The practice of greenwashing appears more common as firms attempt to better position themselves in a global marketplace growing more concerned with corporate sustainability.

—Timothy W. Aurand et al.

Not only is greenwashing bad for the environment, but it's misleading to consumers who want to invest in products that aren't harmful to the planet.

—Jennifer Manfrin

The greenwashing allegation … adds to efforts to heap pressure on some of the world's biggest polluting companies as regulators take an increasing interest in climate change.

—William Mathis and Austin Weinstein Bloomberg

A lack of rigorous measurement means that greenwashing is rife and bogus claims go uncontested.

—The Economist

greenwashing

2 of 2

present participle of greenwash

Examples of greenwashing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

She is known for 2022 doc Slay, which looked into the fashion industry to investigate the use of fur, leather and wool, greenwashing and the impact of brands using animal skins. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 July 2026

Sustainable investing is already on the back foot, worn down by years of greenwashing scandals, funds quietly stripped of their green labels, and a political backlash that treats ESG as an insult. — Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Applicants may interpret topics such as climate justice, corporate greenwashing, Indigenous rights, material innovation, wildlife and biodiversity, waste and pollution, grassroots activism, recycling and circularity, and the physical and mental impacts of the climate crisis. — Vogue, 6 June 2026

The gap between sustainability claims and practices can be quite large, and greenwashing isn’t always easy to identify. — Rachel Cernansky, Wired News, 5 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

greenwash entry 1 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1990, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for greenwashing

• brainwashing
• handwashing
• whitewashing
• quashing
• sloshing
• squashing
• washing