wash away

verb

washed away; washing away; washes away
1
: to carry (something) away by the movement of water
The bridge was washed away by flooding last year.
2
: to get rid of (something, such as unhappy or unpleasant thoughts) completely
Take a vacation to wash away your troubles.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wash away.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wash%20away. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster