whiten

verb

whit·​en ˈ(h)wī-tᵊn How to pronounce whiten (audio)
whitened; whitening ˈ(h)wīt-niŋ How to pronounce whiten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make white or whiter
snow whitened the hills

intransitive verb

: to become white or whiter

Examples of whiten in a Sentence

His hair whitened as he aged. Bleach will whiten the linens. The new toothpaste whitens teeth.
Recent Examples on the Web The pen is easy to use — just twist the bottom to activate the whitening gel, and brush the gel right onto your teeth. Nicol Natale, Peoplemag, 17 July 2024 The teeth whitening strips are designed to remove up to 14 years of stains after using them for 30 minutes a day for 20 day—say goodbye to decade-old coffee stains (thanks Starbucks). Elizabeth Denton, StyleCaster, 16 July 2024 Featuring a whitening pen and an enamel-safe LED light, this kit is your simple solution for a brighter, more radiant smile. Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2024 How to whiten my teeth There are two ways to go about whitening. Bebe Hodges, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whiten 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whiten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English whitenen, from white white entry 1 + -nen -en entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of whiten was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near whiten

Cite this Entry

“Whiten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiten. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

whiten

verb
whit·​en ˈhwīt-ᵊn How to pronounce whiten (audio)
ˈwīt-
whitened; whitening -ᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce whiten (audio)
-niŋ
: to make or become white or whiter
whitener
-nər
-ᵊn-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on whiten

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