washing

1 of 2

noun

wash·​ing ˈwȯ-shiŋ 

ˈwä-

1

: the act or action of one that cleanses with water

2

: material obtained by washing

3

: articles washed or to be washed : wash

washing

2 of 2

present participle of wash entry 1

Examples of washing in a Sentence

Noun

These shirts will look great even after repeated washings.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Pressure washing can damage the fibers and make the rug too wet and heavy to dry properly. — Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 7 Nov. 2026

That $10-an-hour job washing beakers and flasks at MiniMed eventually turned into a full-time position, too. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2026

The idea of slopping goop onto dry hair before washing has never appealed to me. — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 6 Nov. 2026

In one manufacturing application documented by our engineering team, cylinder heads were inspected before washing. — Rajesh Iyengar, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing washing

• do the washing-up
• front load/front-load washing machine
• put the washing out
• top-loading washing machine
• washing machine
• washing powder
• washing soda
• washing-up liquid

Rhymes for washing

• quashing
• sloshing
• squashing
• brainwashing
• handwashing
• whitewashing

Kids Definition

washing

noun

wash·​ing ˈwȯsh-iŋ 

ˈwäsh-

: articles washed or to be washed