whiten

verb

whit·​en ˈ(h)wī-tᵊn 

whitened; whitening ˈ(h)wīt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make white or whiter

snow whitened the hills

intransitive verb

: to become white or whiter

Synonyms of whiten

• bleach
• fade
• brighten

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

As the years have gone on and his hair has whitened, Gere has become nearly as famous for his charity and his spirituality as his acting. — Allen Salkin, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

Bleach can be used occasionally to whiten grout or sanitize small tile areas. — Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2026

Someone who wants whitening to live inside brushing may find the Glossonic setup more relevant. — Matt Emma, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

While a good whitening toothpaste can work to keep stains away on a day-to-day basis, these more potent kits typically use strips, trays, or a pen to deliver their whitening agents—usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide—to your teeth. — Sara Coughlin, Allure, 8 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for whiten

• brighten
• chitin
• frighten
• heighten
• lighten
• phaeton
• tighten
• titan
• triton
• enlighten
• exciton
• periphyton

Kids Definition

whiten

verb

whit·​en ˈhwīt-ᵊn 

ˈwīt-

whitened; whitening -ᵊn-iŋ 

-niŋ

: to make or become white or whiter

whitener

-nər, 

-ᵊn-ər

noun