towel

1 of 3

noun (1)

tow·​el ˈtau̇(-ə)l 

: an absorbent cloth or paper for wiping or drying

towel

2 of 3

verb

toweled or towelled; toweling or towelling

transitive verb

: to rub or dry (something, such as the body) with a towel

intransitive verb

: to use a towel to dry oneself

toweled down after swimming

toweling

3 of 3

noun (2)

tow·​el·​ing ˈtau̇-(ə-)liŋ 

variants or towelling

: a cotton or linen fabric often used for making towels

Examples of towel in a Sentence

Noun (1)

She dried her hair with a towel.

Here's a towel to wipe up the spill.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There was a time when a day at the beach involved a towel and some sunscreen. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Dry everything for at least five days or wipe with a towel before reuse. — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 4 July 2026

Verb

Rinse with a clean sponge dipped in hot water and towel dry. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026

Using too much detergent can leave behind residue that clings to towel fibers. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 19 June 2026

Noun

The plush terry toweling is ultra-absorbent while still maintaining a sleek design. — Madison Roberts, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Dec. 2024

Remove paper toweling; stand each ear on its stem end (slice to create a flat bottom) and carefully cut lengthwise with a heavy-bladed knife. — Star Tribune, 14 July 2021

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English towaille, from Anglo-French tuaille, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German dwahila towel; akin to Old High German dwahan to wash

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1839, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

1583, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing towel

• beach towel
• dish towel
• hand towel
• kitchen towel
• paper towel
• roller towel
• tea towel
• throw in the towel
• towel bar
• towel rack
• towel rail
• Turkish towel

Rhymes for towel

• bowel
• dowel
• howel
• howell
• vowel
• avowal
• disavowal

Kids Definition

towel

1 of 2 noun

tow·​el ˈtau̇(-ə)l 

: a cloth or piece of absorbent paper for wiping or drying

towel

2 of 2 verb

toweled or towelled; toweling or towelling

: to rub or dry with a towel : use a towel to dry off

Medical Definition

towel

noun

tow·​el ˈtau̇(-ə)l 

1

: an absorbent cloth or paper for wiping or drying

2

British : sanitary napkin