wipe

1 of 2

verb

ˈwīp 

wiped; wiping

transitive verb

1

a

: to rub with or as if with something soft for cleaning

b

: to clean or dry by rubbing

c

: to draw, pass, or move for or as if for rubbing or cleaning

wiped his hand across his brow

2

a

: to remove by or as if by rubbing

wipe the spots off the glass

b

: to expunge completely

… wipe from memory the gruesome scenes …

—Amer. Guide Series: Del.

3

: to spread by or as if by wiping

intransitive verb

: to make a motion of or as if of wiping something

see also wipe one's boots on, wipe the floor with

wipe

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: blow, strike

b

: jeer, gibe

2

a

: an act or instance of wiping

b

: a transition from one scene or picture to another (as in movies or television) made by a line moving across the screen

3

: something (such as a towel) used for wiping

Examples of wipe in a Sentence

Verb

Would you wipe the dishes?

She wiped her eyes with a tissue.

We were wiping the spots from the wine glasses.

He wiped his hand across his forehead.

Noun

With a wipe, the spill was gone.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Finally, wipe your microwave down using a clean cloth, making sure to get the top, bottom, sides, and door. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 13 Dec. 2025

On Thursday, the Indiana Senate rejected a bill that would have wiped Democratic representation from their state in Congress clean. —Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 12 Dec. 2025

Noun

Member's Mark Premium Baby Wipes Big messes are no problem for Member’s Mark Premium Baby Wipes, which come packaged in 12 press-open lid packs of 96 wipes each. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 9 Dec. 2025

Cole also purchased safety glasses, sandpaper, protective gloves and disinfecting wipes in the months leading up to the attack on the Capitol, according to the affidavit. —Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English wipen, from Old English wīpian; akin to Old High German wīfan to wind around, Latin vibrare to brandish, and probably to Old Norse veipa to be in movement, Sanskrit vepate it trembles

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing wipe

• baby wipe
• wipe away
• wipe down
• wipe off
• wipe one's feet
• wipe out
• wipe (someone or something) off the face of the earth
• wipe (someone or something) off the map
• wipe (something) clean
• wipe that smile off your face
• wipe that smirk off your face
• wipe the grin off his face
• wipe the slate clean
• wipe the smile off one's face
• wipe up

Rhymes for wipe

• gripe
• hype
• lipe
• pipe
• ripe
• sipe
• skype
• snipe
• stipe
• stripe
• strype
• swipe

Kids Definition

wipe

1 of 2 verb

ˈwīp 

wiped; wiping

1

: to clean or dry by rubbing

wipe dishes

2

: to remove by or as if by rubbing

wipe away tears

3

: to pass or draw over a surface

wiped my hand across my forehead

wiper noun

wipe

2 of 2 noun

1

: an act or instance of wiping

2

: something used for wiping