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

Bourdain was doing all of the grunt work at the Flagship, scrubbing pots and pans, scraping plates, peeling potatoes, and cleaning shrimp.

— Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
Following the grain from top to bottom, wipe the shutters with the damp cloth, gently scrubbing any stains.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of scrubbing

Verb

Advocates say the strategy encourages more diverse applicants, like first-generation students, by removing barriers to entry and boosting awareness of the often-generous scholarships available at private institutions.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026
Harris indicated the markets for those players were not good enough to warrant removing them from the current team.

— Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of removing

Verb

How to Check Store-Bought Flowers to Prevent Pests Wang recommends rinsing bouquets with water before displaying them to help remove any pests that may be hiding within the flowers.

— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 4 Aug. 2026
While occasionally rinsing with cold water may have some benefits, using very hot or cold water to wash your face can lead to dry, irritated skin.

— Sherri Gordon, HEALTH, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of rinsing

Verb

Alongside drawing widespread critical acclaim, brought the immigration debate mainstream American cinema.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026
The prospect of labor strife looms over the rest of this Padres/MLB season, what with the labor pact due to expire in December and both sides already drawing bright red lines in public statements.

— Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of drawing

Verb

Soak for 30 minutes to absorb the bath’s therapeutic benefits which include releasing tension, cleansing your skin, and relaxing your body.

— Rana Good, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
If your skin feels tight after cleansing or tends to become flaky, Native Hydrating Facial Cleanser is an affordable upgrade.

— Laura Lu, Parents, 29 July 2026

Definition of cleansing

Verb

Asteroid mining is also mentioned as a potential opportunity, which would entail extracting metals and other critical resources from near-Earth and main-belt asteroids.

— Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
Rather than burning coal for energy or converting it into fuels, the process focuses on extracting carbon-rich molecular structures that can serve as feedstock for advanced engineering materials.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of extracting

Verb

Securing a flagship robotic vacuum with pressurized stain pre-treatment, active self-washing roller mopping, and a bagless cyclonic dock for under $900 is an exceptional value.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Other recent improvements to the building include cleaning windows that had not been washed in years, pressure-washing sidewalks, restriping the parking garage and repairing elevators.

— Tyler Quattrin, Twin Cities, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of washing

Verb

When cutting them back in the fall for the winter, leave a few branches for wildlife to use for protection, but be sure to remove all of the dead branches to reduce the risk of diseases.

— Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
Broadcasters of all sizes, especially local station owners, have been battling cord-cutting and coping with ongoing audience and advertiser shifts away from linear viewing.

— Dade Hayes, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026