washboard

noun wash·board \ ˈwȯsh-ˌbȯrd , ˈwäsh- \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Definition of washboard

1 : a broad thin plank along a gunwale or on the sill of a lower deck port to keep out the sea

2 : baseboard

3 a : a corrugated rectangular surface that is used for scrubbing clothes or as a percussion instrument

b : a road or pavement so worn by traffic as to be corrugated transversely

c : an abdominal area characterized by prominent and well-defined musculature —usually used attributively

a bodybuilder with washboard abs

a washboard stomach

See washboard defined for English-language learners

See washboard defined for kids

Recent Examples of washboard from the Web

Sure enough, closer to the canyon the road turned to washboard.

— alli harvey, Anchorage Daily News, "Crazy ideas seem sane when they let you sleep under the stars," 10 May 2018
The first gig had Palazzo on piano, Bougerol singing and playing washboard, and a tap dancer.

— joe klopus, kansascity, "Jazz Town: Versatile Hot Sardines pack their shows with pure joy | The Kansas City Star," 4 Mar. 2018
An old washboard, a vintage wooden ironing board (that supports the work), old hinges and more are mixed with images of people -- some identifiable, others not.

— thom duffy, Billboard, "John Mellencamp's Art Exhibit 'Life, Death, Love and Freedom' Opens in New York," 28 Apr. 2018
Promises aren’t going to be enough for Californians tired of having their teeth rattled by trips over washboard roads or finding their cars battered by ever-deepening potholes.

— john wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle, "How to fix California’s roads, bridges, dams: Candidates for governor share views," 30 Apr. 2018
There will also be tours of the Columbus Washboard Company, the last remaining washboard company in the United States.

— susan glaser, cleveland.com, "Urban Air festival brings a mile-long stretch of Airstreams to the streets of Logan, Ohio (photos): Living On," 31 Mar. 2018
Tackle small jumps and undulating washboard-like terrain with too much aggression and the Ram’s suspension will quickly kiss its bump stops.

— mike sutton, Car and Driver, "2019 Ram 1500 Rebel," 22 Mar. 2018
Theroux, meanwhile, has reportedly rededicated himself to physical fitness, presumably in an attempt to transform his ho-hum six-pack into a shredded eight-pack that could, in a pinch, serve as a washboard or a cheese grater.

— madeleine aggeler, The Cut, "How Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux Are Coping With Their Split," 22 Mar. 2018
But a winter of driving washboard roads led to service items above our handyman pay grade: rattling rocker panel, broken door lock, frozen toilet flap.

— aaron gulley, Outside Online, "Airstream in for Service? Go Backpacking," 21 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'washboard.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of washboard

1742

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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WASHBOARD Defined for English Language Learners

washboard

noun

Definition of washboard for English Language Learners

: a board with ridges on its surface that was used in the past for washing clothes by rubbing wet clothes against it
: a group of strong and well-shaped muscles that can be seen on a person's stomach