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
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
Some dishwasher tablets include bleaching agents and rinse aids that can keep your clothes from cleaning properly or even stain them.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2025
More than that, the YouTuber decided to rid her face of eyebrows, bleaching the hairs above her eyes to match the hue of her hair.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2025
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
Some dishwasher tablets include bleaching agents and rinse aids that can keep your clothes from cleaning properly or even stain them.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2025
More than that, the YouTuber decided to rid her face of eyebrows, bleaching the hairs above her eyes to match the hue of her hair.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleaching
Verb
-
The cast iron ensures even heat distribution and the enamel iresists fading, chipping, cracking, and staining.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Shapiro-Ikenberry led through most of the first half of the race before fading to seventh.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This effort will focus on the galactic bulge, where star density is much higher, and will take advantage of the fact that a planet can act as a small gravitational lens, briefly brightening any background stars that pass between it and Earth.—
JOHN TIMMER,
ArsTechnica,
23 Apr. 2026
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Her mother, Lianna Charles Moore, previously described her daughters as always laughing, smiling and brightening her family's day.—
Christina Fan,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The rest of their tooth-care regimen includes flossing daily, tongue scraping and using mouthwash as needed, along with the occasional use of whitening strips.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2026
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The files include jokey exchanges and emails planning visits to Epstein properties, teeth-whitening appointments and shopping trips.—
Jill Lawless,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bleaching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleaching. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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