CLEANING Synonyms: 62 Similar and Opposite Words

cleaning

verb

present participle of clean

as in scrubbing

to remove the dirt from we cleaned the clothes before donating them to charity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in removing

to take the internal organs out of cleaned the rabbit before cooking it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of cleaning Westerheide said that since the review, the county has repeatedly tried to remove dogs before cleaning kennels, but staff haven’t been able to find somewhere to keep them during the process. — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026 Daily and routine cleaning should include cleaning your portafilter, group head, and steam wand. — Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026 Long days were spent cleaning, drawing and waiting for customers during slow periods, all while mastering a craft that permanently alters another person’s body. — Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026 While cleaning off the mud from Flanders, then-reigning world champion LeMond was blunt in his assessment. — Tom Campbell, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 Common Marble Cleaning Mistakes The most common mistake folks make when cleaning marble floors is using a non-pH-neutral floor cleaner or using too much water to mop up the floors. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 31 July 2026 Soap and Water A simple mixture of soap and water also works for cleaning laminate, says Rapinchuk. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 31 July 2026 Christina Monde, Pasadena’s city project manager for the Arroyo Seco project, attributed some of the opposition to misconceptions, such as that Pasadena is cleaning the water in order to irrigate a golf course. — Mack Baysinger follow, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026 According to Johannes, that lifespan is expected to be between 20 and 25 years while requiring only minimal routine maintenance, largely focused on cleaning the solar panels. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaning

Verb

The stench, a byproduct of papermaking, eased years ago with the installation of air-scrubbing equipment and went away completely in September when International Paper closed the mill after 90 years of operation.

— Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 30 July 2026
During hot summer weather, experts recommend rinsing and refreshing bird bath water1 once a day and scrubbing baths clean every few days.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 July 2026

Definition of scrubbing

Verb

Leaders add value by asking better questions, widening perspectives, connecting people, allocating resources and removing the obstacles that slow great work.

— Brent McHugh, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
The state added women to the workforce without removing men from their role as sole providers.

— Wael Mahdi, semafor.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of removing

Verb

The analyst’s value has shifted from extracting data to interrogating what the system surfaces.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Even better, because SM Energy is extracting minerals horizontally 7,500 feet underground, Draco will minimize oil and gas surface activity in that area.

— Aaron Harber, Denver Post, 28 July 2026

Definition of extracting

Verb

While no produce wash—including this one, vinegar, or baking soda—can eliminate Cyclospora, thoroughly washing your produce can help reduce dirt and contamination on the surface.

— Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 July 2026
The inspector noted that employees weren’t washing their hands properly and the ice from a dirty ice machine wasn’t safe for human consumption.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026

Definition of washing

Verb

Seattle kept it close, cutting the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter before Atlanta held firm.

— Christopher Harris, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
The workshops include all ingredients and participants learn skills such as cutting and folding meats, placement and spacing for jams and honeys.

— Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026