washboard
noun
wash·board
ˈwȯsh-ˌbȯrd 
ˈwäsh-
1
: a broad thin plank along a gunwale or on the sill of a lower deck port to keep out the sea
2
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
Examples of washboard in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Indeed, the set features collaborators from various musical genres — including Post Malone and Miley Cyrus — as well as instruments such as the accordion, washboards, harmonicas and even her own nails.
—
Anna Chan, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024
But where some see character, others see a dirty track, as rutted as an old washboard, that grows less appealing with each flat tire and trip to the carwash.
—Jayne Orenstein, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024
Load in a small load of non-bulky clothing, add water and soap and then rub your clothes through the bag to create friction against the interior plastic washboard for at least 30 seconds.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Then a washboard on which a woman had been scrubbing laundry after rubbing it abundantly with a ball of soap.
—Lawrence Jackson, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023
The obsession with being fit and thin in the workplace is on the rise, with tech moguls like Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos showing off their washboard abs, and the use of drugs like Ozempic for weight loss becoming increasingly common dinner conversation.
—Paige Hagy, Fortune Well, 1 Aug. 2023
Darcy then casually walks up to the mantel located behind her and places the photo atop it, so the picture blends in with the surrounding decor that includes old jugs, a clock, a washboard and more pieces of Americana.
—Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 13 June 2023
There is Frost’s tilt-back Morris chair, with his imprint still in the cushion, and Elinor’s washboard, specially fitted with glass rather than metal to be gentler on the fingers.
—Diane Speare Triant, BostonGlobe.com, 4 May 2023
Imagine a spoon sliding down a washboard in some folksy song about hillbilly divorce.
—Joseph Goodman, al, 14 Apr. 2023
Anna Chan, Billboard, 29 Mar. 2024
But where some see character, others see a dirty track, as rutted as an old washboard, that grows less appealing with each flat tire and trip to the carwash.
—Jayne Orenstein, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024
Load in a small load of non-bulky clothing, add water and soap and then rub your clothes through the bag to create friction against the interior plastic washboard for at least 30 seconds.
—Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023
Then a washboard on which a woman had been scrubbing laundry after rubbing it abundantly with a ball of soap.
—Lawrence Jackson, Harper's Magazine, 10 July 2023
The obsession with being fit and thin in the workplace is on the rise, with tech moguls like Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos showing off their washboard abs, and the use of drugs like Ozempic for weight loss becoming increasingly common dinner conversation.
—Paige Hagy, Fortune Well, 1 Aug. 2023
Darcy then casually walks up to the mantel located behind her and places the photo atop it, so the picture blends in with the surrounding decor that includes old jugs, a clock, a washboard and more pieces of Americana.
—Sam Burros, Peoplemag, 13 June 2023
There is Frost’s tilt-back Morris chair, with his imprint still in the cushion, and Elinor’s washboard, specially fitted with glass rather than metal to be gentler on the fingers.
—Diane Speare Triant, BostonGlobe.com, 4 May 2023
Imagine a spoon sliding down a washboard in some folksy song about hillbilly divorce.
—Joseph Goodman, al, 14 Apr. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'washboard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near washboard
Cite this Entry
“Washboard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/washboard. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
washboard
noun
wash·board
ˈwȯsh-ˌbō(ə)rd
ˈwäsh-,
-ˌbȯ(ə)rd
: a grooved board to scrub clothes on
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share