as in fading
to make white or whiter by removing color
bleached the stained shirt back to its original white
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Recent Examples of bleaching
Nolasco said a taper is the favorite haircut these days and there’s also players bleaching their hair blond for the playoffs.
—
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Justine Skye took this mousy brown look to the next level by bleaching her brows to match.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 22 May 2026
She was also reportedly seen bleaching the inside of her car.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Once in a while, black flats compress the space, framing a single character’s face, bathed in a bleaching white light, as if their vulnerabilities were being scanned by an MRI.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
The figure skater actually began bleaching her own hair with a paintbrush—and only brought in a professional right before the 2026 Winter Olympics.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2026
Fierce sunlight bleaching the stones of the old city, blinding the passengers as porters in white kaffiyehs and djellabas stack their portmanteaus on donkey carts.
—Literary Hub, 16 Feb. 2026
His inability to recognize the oxymoron makes Cole’s introspection on this topic feel less like a genuine reckoning and more like a feeble attempt at bleaching out the darkest stains of his career.
—Benny Sun, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026
For White, Bleach-Safe Clothing Gagliardi says to always avoid bleaching clothing made from materials like wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex—even if the item is white.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
Justine Skye took this mousy brown look to the next level by bleaching her brows to match.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 22 May 2026
She was also reportedly seen bleaching the inside of her car.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Once in a while, black flats compress the space, framing a single character’s face, bathed in a bleaching white light, as if their vulnerabilities were being scanned by an MRI.
—Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 16 Apr. 2026
The figure skater actually began bleaching her own hair with a paintbrush—and only brought in a professional right before the 2026 Winter Olympics.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2026
Fierce sunlight bleaching the stones of the old city, blinding the passengers as porters in white kaffiyehs and djellabas stack their portmanteaus on donkey carts.
—Literary Hub, 16 Feb. 2026
His inability to recognize the oxymoron makes Cole’s introspection on this topic feel less like a genuine reckoning and more like a feeble attempt at bleaching out the darkest stains of his career.
—Benny Sun, Pitchfork, 10 Feb. 2026
For White, Bleach-Safe Clothing Gagliardi says to always avoid bleaching clothing made from materials like wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex—even if the item is white.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleaching
Verb
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The lefty was fading in his fourth inning.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 June 2026
-
The era of checklist sightseeing is fading.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Venus conjoins Jupiter in Cancer, brightening your 3rd House of Communication with warmth, sincerity, and useful connection.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
9 June 2026
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These mophead hydrangeas bloom in either neon purple or raspberry red—perfect for brightening up the yard in a flash.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
9 June 2026
Verb
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There’s nothing wrong with adding a filter and whitening your teeth with a click of a button.—
Colleen Batchelder,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Baking soda is great for whitening and removing stains, and sometimes nothing is tougher than coffee and tea stains left behind on our favorite ceramic mugs.—
Alexandra Kelly,
Martha Stewart,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bleaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleaching. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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