wipes; wiped; wiping
1
: to clean or dry (something) by using a towel, your hand, etc.
Would you wipe the dishes?
She wiped her eyes with a tissue.
2
: to remove (something) by rubbing
Wipe your tears.
We were wiping the spots from the wine glasses.
—often used figurativelyShe has wiped [=erased] the entire conversation from her mind. [=she has forgotten the entire conversation]
The explosion wiped the island off the map. [=it completely destroyed the island]
Their enemies have vowed to wipe them off the face of the earth. [=to destroy them completely; to annihilate them]
3
: to move (something) over a surface
He wiped his hand across his forehead.
4
chiefly British
: to completely remove recorded material from (a tape or disk)
You can wipe [=erase] the tape/disk and use it again.
plural wipes
1
: a small, wet cloth that is used for cleaning
disposable wipes
baby wipes [=wipes used to clean babies]
2
: an act of cleaning or drying something by using a towel, your hand, etc.
With a wipe, the spill was gone.
I gave the table a quick wipe. [=I quickly wiped the table]
Cite this Entry
“Wipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/wipe. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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