launder

1 of 2

verb

laun·​der ˈlȯn-dər How to pronounce launder (audio)
ˈlän-
laundered; laundering ˈlȯn-d(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce launder (audio)
ˈlän-

transitive verb

1
: to wash (something, such as clothing) in water
2
: to make ready for use by washing and ironing
a freshly laundered shirt
3
: to transfer (illegally obtained money or investments) through an outside party to conceal the true source
4
: sanitize sense 2
laundered language

intransitive verb

: to wash or wash and iron clothing or household linens
launderer noun

launder

2 of 2

noun

: trough
especially : a box conduit conveying particulate material suspended in water in ore dressing

Examples of launder in a Sentence

Verb He used a phony business to launder money from drug dealing. had to launder the quarterback's off-the-cuff's remarks before they could be quoted in the newspaper
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The federal indictment alleges the duo, along with others, orchestrated cryptocurrency thefts and laundered the proceeds through exchanges and mixing services. Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2024 In July 2023, he was arrested again and accused of committing a string of robberies at banks and credit unions across the Midwest before laundering his earnings at Kansas City-area casinos and depositing the proceeds in various bank accounts, the office said. Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 5 Sep. 2024
Noun
Still, the Springfield pet situation is a particularly instructive example of how right-wing media often launders and mainstreams obvious misinformation. Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 9 Sep. 2024 At the top, there’s a head office that supervises the operation and launders proceeds. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2023 See all Example Sentences for launder 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'launder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English launder, noun

Noun

Middle English, launderer, from Anglo-French lavandere, from Medieval Latin lavandarius, from Latin lavandus, gerundive of lavare to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

Verb

1664, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1667, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of launder was in 1664

Dictionary Entries Near launder

Cite this Entry

“Launder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/launder. Accessed 4 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

launder

verb
laun·​der
ˈlȯn-dər,
ˈlän-
laundered; laundering
-d(ə-)riŋ
1
: to wash or wash and iron clothing or household linens
2
: to undergo washing and ironing
launderer
-dər-ər
noun

Legal Definition

launder

transitive verb
laun·​der
: to transfer (money or instruments deriving from illegal activity) so as to conceal the true nature and source
launder money through an offshore account

More from Merriam-Webster on launder

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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