To save this word, you'll need to log in.
sham·poo | \ sham-ˈpü 
\
\shampooed; shampooing; shampoos
Definition of shampoo
(Entry 1 of 2)
2a : to wash (something, such as hair) with soap and water or with a special preparation
b : to wash the hair of
shampoo
noun plural shampoos
Definition of shampoo (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : an act or instance of shampooing
2 : a preparation used in shampooing
Keep scrolling for more
Examples of shampoo in a Sentence
Verb
She shampoos her hair every morning.
We need to shampoo the rug.
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb One had gone from serving mimosas to shampooing banquet chairs.
—
Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, "From bartender to painter, Brown Hotel revamps its staff to keep employees on the books," 26 Mar. 2020 The key is to soak it in for five to 10 minutes after shampooing the hair, then rinse, and use it at a minimum of once every two weeks or up to twice a week for very dry locks for softer hair all spring long.
—
Courtney Campbell, USA TODAY, "You can get a major discount on high-end beauty, hair, and skincare products right now," 4 Mar. 2020 After shampooing and conditioning, try using a leave-in product, like a conditioner or detangler, which will boost moisture and provide heat protection before styling.
—
Dina Cheney, SELF, "8 Ways to Make Thinning Hair Shiny and Full Again," 13 Dec. 2019 There’s a shot of the two of them together, Mrs. Coulter shampooing Lyra’s hair, and then a shot of Mrs. Coulter alone, staring distractedly into the cooling bath water as her daemon, a golden monkey, looks on with concern.
—
Anna Russell, The New Yorker, "Building the Worlds of His Dark Materials," 3 Dec. 2019 There are just so many things to do in there between hosting concerts, pretending to be a mermaid, and making important life decisions while shampooing and conditioning.
—
Kelly Corbett, House Beautiful, "Make Your Shower Look Super Artsy With This Easy Hack," 22 Nov. 2019 After shampooing hair, follow with a super-hydrating conditioner to moisturize curls, which tend to be drier than straight hair since your hair's natural oils have to travel around coils to get to the end of the hair shaft.
—
Pia Velasco, Good Housekeeping, "How to Use a Diffuser to Get Perfect Curls and Waves Every Time," 30 Sep. 2019 The shop specializes in shampooing and styling hair; no cut or color services are available.
—
Jane Morice | Jmorice@cleveland.com, cleveland, "Video: Ohio’s first Drybar, popular blow-dry styling salon, opens at Legacy Village," 25 Oct. 2019 Not shampooing your hair enough can also cause dandruff due to the build-up of oils and skin cells on the scalp.
—
NBC News, "Best shampoos for dry scalp, according to these dermatologists," 17 Dec. 2018 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Shampoo and Conditioner Bars By Humankind is a brand that makes entirely refillable, low-waste products, from shampoo and conditioner bars to cotton swabs.
—
Nena Farrell, Sunset Magazine, "From Compostable Toothbrushes to Refillable Deodorant, Here Are the Low-Waste Toiletries to Try," 25 Feb. 2020 Also requested are personal items such as body wash, shampoo and conditioners, powders, lotions, deodorant, batteries, postage stamps and gift cards for music.
—
courant.com, "Community News For The Farmington Valley Edition," 2 Dec. 2019 Dopp kit This roomy dopp kit from Peak Design will hold all your travel necessities: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, contact solution or eye drops, a razor, shampoo, conditioner, and body and face wash.
—
Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, "Beach Vacation Packing List: What Not to Forget for Your Next Getaway," 27 Feb. 2020 The removal of individual tubes of shampoo, conditioner and bath gel from its 340,000 guest rooms (replaced by liquid dispensers) is part of an environmental drive to reduce single-use plastics.
—
National Geographic, "Where is the healthiest seat on an airplane?," 28 Jan. 2020 Needs: Blankets, bottled water, bath towels, washcloths, plus-size women's and men's clothing, shoe laces, large men's shoes, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, nail clippers and more.
—
Jessica Boehm, azcentral, "Arresting people for sleeping outside is 'cruel,' U.S. Supreme Court affirms," 24 Dec. 2019 Realizing that women in the neighborhood have extensive needs, there isn’t just one kind of shampoo, but several kinds for specific purposes, including scalp therapy, restorative, and revitalizing.
—
Dakota Kim, Sunset Magazine, "Ditch the Plastic Packaging: 6 Refill Stores for Kitchen, Bath, and Home," 10 Feb. 2020 This shampoo is from our article on the best shampoos for dry scalp.
—
Gideon Grudo, NBC News, "The most purchased beauty products we covered this holiday season," 29 Dec. 2019 Of course, no shampoo and conditioner will be perfect for every hair texture, but at the least, Reverie is a perfect jumping off point into the natural space.
—
Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Natural Products for Your Dopp Kit," 17 Oct. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shampoo.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for shampoo
shampoo
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of shampoo
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to clean (something, such as hair, a carpet, etc.) with shampoo
shampoo
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of shampoo (Entry 2 of 2)
: a special liquid that is used for cleaning your hair
: a special liquid used for cleaning rugs, carpets, etc.
: an act of cleaning hair, a carpet, etc., with shampoo
See the full definition for shampoo in the English Language Learners Dictionary
shampoo
nounsham·poo | \ sham-ˈpü \
\ plural shampoos
Kids Definition of shampoo
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : a cleaner made for washing the hair
2 : an act of washing the hair
shampoo
verbsham·poo
shampooed; shampooing
Kids Definition of shampoo (Entry 2 of 2)
: to wash the hair and scalp
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on shampoo
What made you want to look up shampoo? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Name that Thing: Flower Edition
- Name that flower
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- Name that Thing: Flower Edition
Can you correctly identify these flowers?
Take the quiz - March 2020 Words of the Day Quiz Take the quiz
- Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Dictionary Devil
The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?
Play the game
Share shampoo
Time Traveler for shampoo
The first known use of shampoo was in 1762
See more words from the same year