rubbing alcohol

noun

: a cooling and soothing liquid for external application that contains approximately 70 percent denatured ethanol or isopropanol

Examples of rubbing alcohol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Here’s how to remove a tick: Clean the area around the tick with warm, soapy water or rubbing alcohol. —Rob Williams, EverydayHealth.com, 9 July 2025

If only a few slugs are noted they can be gathered and dropped in rubbing alcohol. —Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 July 2025

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend either drowning the tick in rubbing alcohol or wrapping it tightly in tape before disposing of it. —Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 4 July 2025

Clean out the bite with soap and water or rubbing alcohol to avoid infection, Vogel said. —Julia Ries, Health, 25 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rubbing alcohol

• chloramphenicol
• dithiothreitol
• geospatial
• isopropanol
• meridional
• paracetamol
• peroxisomal
• visuospatial
• aerosol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol

Kids Definition

rubbing alcohol

noun

: a cooling and soothing solution for use on the outside of the body that contains an alcohol and water

Medical Definition

rubbing alcohol

noun

rub·​bing alcohol ˈrəb-iŋ-ˌ 

: a cooling and soothing liquid for external application that contains approximately 70 percent denatured ethanol or isopropyl alcohol