greenwashing

1 of 2

noun

green·​wash·​ing ˈgrēn-ˌwȯ-shiŋ How to pronounce greenwashing (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
There are more regulations cropping up to combat greenwashing, such as the EU Green Claims Directive, which stipulates accurate marketing claims. Carved In Blue, Sourcing Journal, 20 Nov. 2024 Last September, Italy’s antitrust agency launched a greenwashing investigation into Shein over possibly misleading advertising claims made on the site regarding products’ environmental sustainability. Martino Carrera, WWD, 25 Oct. 2024 As sustainability initiatives grow in scale, companies are increasingly aware of the need to avoid greenwashing—where their efforts appear disingenuous or purely for marketing purposes. Judith Magyar, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024 And there is no greenwashing happening at the company. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for greenwashing 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

greenwash entry 1 + -ing entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1990, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greenwashing was in 1990

Dictionary Entries Near greenwashing

Cite this Entry

“Greenwashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greenwashing. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!