wipe

1 of 2

verb

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 scenesAmer. 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

wipe

2 of 2

noun

1
a
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
Phrases
wipe one's boots on
: to treat with indignity
wipe the floor with or wipe the ground with
: to defeat decisively

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
This chipping away at self can happen slowly, over time, with each passing day spent resolving sibling squabbles, staying up late to help with homework, cooking family meals, cleaning, carpooling, changing diapers, and wiping stuffy noses. Melissa Willets, Parents, 10 Oct. 2025 In the quarter millennium since, scholars and activists have in different ways done their damnedest to wipe the smirk off his face. Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
Oi also suggests keeping sanitizing wipes handy to wipe down the swatter and the surface where the fly was smashed. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025 Realizing that Billie is his granddaughter, Morsus says his son never would have allowed the memory wipe. Selome Hailu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wipe

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of wipe was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wipe. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

wipe

1 of 2 verb
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

More from Merriam-Webster on wipe

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