1
as in scrubbing
to remove the dirt from
we cleaned the clothes before donating them to charity
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2
as in removing
to take the internal organs out of
cleaned the rabbit before cooking it
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Recent Examples of cleaning
Use acetone only as a last resort, test first, then finish by cleaning with mild soapy water.
—
Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Each tank holds 40 liters, and each cleaning cycle uses roughly one liter of water per pair of shoes.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
Regularly Bathe and Groom Your Pet Eliminating pet smells starts with regularly bathing and grooming your pet, according to cleaning expert Kathy Turley.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
This includes cleaning the glass oven door which accumulates buildup over time from splattered food.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026
The start of a new year usually brings new motivation to achieve goals like eating healthier or finally cleaning your basement.
—Adriana Morga, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Then, follow Phillips's advice for properly cleaning its glass.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 10 Jan. 2026
And even the most devoted coffee people can sometimes skimp on deep-cleaning their equipment.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Nov. 2025
Her goal in including hygiene items and cleaning supplies in the pantry is to ensure families don’t need to choose between nutrition and other forms of self-care, Ortega said.
—Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Each tank holds 40 liters, and each cleaning cycle uses roughly one liter of water per pair of shoes.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
Regularly Bathe and Groom Your Pet Eliminating pet smells starts with regularly bathing and grooming your pet, according to cleaning expert Kathy Turley.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
This includes cleaning the glass oven door which accumulates buildup over time from splattered food.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026
The start of a new year usually brings new motivation to achieve goals like eating healthier or finally cleaning your basement.
—Adriana Morga, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Then, follow Phillips's advice for properly cleaning its glass.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 10 Jan. 2026
And even the most devoted coffee people can sometimes skimp on deep-cleaning their equipment.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Nov. 2025
Her goal in including hygiene items and cleaning supplies in the pantry is to ensure families don’t need to choose between nutrition and other forms of self-care, Ortega said.
—Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaning
Verb
-
Now, industry eyerolling at the thought of listening faster has existed since the majority of audio storytelling moved from terrestrial radio—where there’s no skipping, scrubbing forward or backward, and certainly no way to speed things up—to podcasting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Somebody is in the kitchen scrubbing your cast-iron pan with dish soap.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lucas offered to amend the ordinance, removing the requirement for detention facilities, as well as for other facilities or buildings paid for with public safety sales tax money.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
-
If surrounding trees are contributing to harmful debris buildup in your AC unit, pruning overhanging branches or removing the trees might be necessary to protect the unit.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Main Title Theme has been further defined as a musical fingerprint and calling card that is identifiable and unique to a show, thereby drawing an audience in by setting the show’s tone and what is to come.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Trump once telegraphed somewhat a positive jobs figure in his first term, drawing criticism.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Making sure the steaks have been fully thawed and brought to room temperature is the first crucial step for most people, but others have memories of their parents or grandparents rinsing steak in the sink, or perhaps soaking it in water, before the prep work begins.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Shea butter helps soften and replenish skin that’s prone to flaking, while glycerin supports ongoing moisture so skin doesn’t feel tight after rinsing.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While heavy crude oil is what is predominantly being drilled for today, its viscous consistency and high levels of metals and sulfur mean extracting and refining this product is significantly more costly than its light crude counterpart.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
5 Jan. 2026
-
To achieve the effect of Alma extracting the worm from Elvira’s mouth, Foldberg and his team created several silicone worm pieces and then fed them through a contraption attached to the side of Myren’s face.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Similarly, make sure to pay special attention to cleansing your jawline—another common breakout zone if makeup is left behind.—
Petra Guglielmetti,
Glamour,
6 Jan. 2026
-
This three-in-one purifier, humidifier, and cooling fan takes a well-rounded approach to improving your air quality by hydrating and deeply cleansing the air.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The president argued that inflation was already low enough to start cutting rates.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Trump has repeatedly blasted Powell for the Fed not cutting interest rates as much and as quickly as the president has demanded since entering the White House in January 2025.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The checklist for cleaning the kitchen was probably just washing dirty dishes, wiping down countertops, and mopping the floors.—
Elizabeth Brownfield,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Maintain good foot hygiene by washing feet at least daily.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaning. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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