whiten

whit·en | \ ˈhwī-tᵊn

How to pronounce whiten (audio)

, ˈwī- \

whitened; whitening\ ˈhwīt-niŋ

How to pronounce whitening (audio)

, ˈwīt- , -ᵊn-iŋ \

Definition of whiten

transitive verb

: to make white or whiter snow whitened the hills

intransitive verb

: to become white or whiter

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about whiten

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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 When searched, the man had more than $1,830 worth of merchandise, including razor cartridges, whitening strips and over-the-counter supplements. — John Benson, cleveland, "Man arrested stealing more than $1,000 worth of razor cartridges and whitening strips: Broadview Heights Police Blotter," 4 Dec. 2019 Hello toothpastes start at $3.99, for kids’ formulas in flavors such as apple and watermelon, and go up to $9 for whitening and charcoal options. — Claire Ballentine, Bloomberg.com, "The $100 Tube of Toothpaste Is Here," 24 Sep. 2019 From Israelis in Palestinian lands to Caucasians displacing native Americans to Argentines whitening policy against black natives, the right to return—and the conflict that follows it—plagues many countries. — Boniface Mwangi, Quartz, "If Israelis have the right of return, we should extend that right to all native people," 18 Sep. 2019 Many of the letters have an early-morning-comedown feel: the whitening window, the excess of reality. — James Parker, The Atlantic, "Ode to the Letters of Hunter S. Thompson," 10 Nov. 2019 Hello’s natural whitening fluoride formula glides on like your standard toothpaste, but doesn’t have artificial colors or flavors crammed in. — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Best Natural Products for Your Dopp Kit," 17 Oct. 2019 Instead, the formula uses baking soda, coconut oil, and aloe leaf juice to remove plaque, freshen breath, and whiten teeth. — Braelyn Wood, Health.com, "Olivia Wilde's Secret for Whiter Teeth Is This $6 Toothpaste from Walmart," 22 Nov. 2019 The hair has changed, the teeth have been whitened, the beard styled and the tattoos added but Ramos is still the apex predator, still the box-office centre-back, still football's Big Bad, still one of the best around. — SI.com, "The 20 Best Footballers of the Decade," 14 Oct. 2019 The Bianco Smile Teeth Whitening Kit is designed to whiten your teeth by up to 14 shades. — NBC News, "Whitening kits are easier than dentist visits—this one's on sale," 10 Oct. 2019

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

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Learn More about whiten

Dictionary Entries near whiten

white nationalist

white-necked raven

Statistics for whiten

Last Updated

29 Dec 2019

Cite this Entry

“Whiten.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whiten. Accessed 19 January 2020.

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