1
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
2
as in removing
to take the internal organs out of
cleaned the rabbit before cooking it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cleaning
On May 6, 2016, Kianna and her sister, Miah, were home cleaning the house for Mother’s Day while Fiona was work.
—
Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Rescuers pulled his body from the water after half an hour and rushed him to Los Angeles General Medical Center, where Michelle works on the overnight cleaning crew.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
For most homes, cleaning the vent every 6 to 12 months is enough.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
This includes cleaning barbecue grills to remove food scraps and meat drippings.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Southern Living, 8 May 2026
But even in the necessary first step of cleaning data, researchers make decisions that can steer the results.
—Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 8 May 2026
Armadillo has a pretty helpful guide to cleaning your rug on their website.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 May 2026
Mahan, who is running for governor, said in his official argument for Measure A that the revenue priorities include faster police, fire, and emergency response, as well as cleaning graffiti and maintaining parks.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Dishwasher detergents come in various forms, including cleaning tablets, pods, liquid, and powder detergents.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026
Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Rescuers pulled his body from the water after half an hour and rushed him to Los Angeles General Medical Center, where Michelle works on the overnight cleaning crew.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
For most homes, cleaning the vent every 6 to 12 months is enough.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
This includes cleaning barbecue grills to remove food scraps and meat drippings.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Southern Living, 8 May 2026
But even in the necessary first step of cleaning data, researchers make decisions that can steer the results.
—Matthew N. Hannah, The Conversation, 8 May 2026
Armadillo has a pretty helpful guide to cleaning your rug on their website.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 May 2026
Mahan, who is running for governor, said in his official argument for Measure A that the revenue priorities include faster police, fire, and emergency response, as well as cleaning graffiti and maintaining parks.
—Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 1 May 2026
Dishwasher detergents come in various forms, including cleaning tablets, pods, liquid, and powder detergents.
—Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaning
Verb
-
The giant operating room, with its other-worldly machines and too many doctors and nurses to count, lay on the other side of two glass doors, and next to me seven more nurses and doctors were scrubbing in.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
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Lightly scrubbing grout and tile lines before discoloration sets in.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Allow these to regrow and form new plants after removing all the dead.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
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On Saturday, that included removing Jake LaRavia from the rotation entirely as rookie forward Adou Thiero became the Lakers’ third player off the bench and veteran big man Maxi Kleber moved into the rotation as the ninth option.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
One of the greatest threats to democracy is politicians drawing their own district maps to protect their own power.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 May 2026
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What is the importance of drawing this distinction, though?—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Another method is soaking a sponge in a bleach solution for a few minutes and then rinsing thoroughly.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
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Running the fan a few extra minutes, spreading towels out properly, rinsing the sink and squeegeeing the shower are not glamorous tasks.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That lets the term be understood in a range of ways, whether a corporate-friendly approach to conservation, or a new way to talk about extracting marine resources, sustainably or otherwise.—
Natalie Sum Yue Chung,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
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Compared to apples or pears, which require extracting and cleaning multiple seeds from the core, these single pits make seed-saving far more straightforward.—
Rachel Silva,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
Verb
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While the norm is that a toner should be an astringent that removes grime and dirt while balancing the pH, Korean toners work to give the skin instant hydration as the first step after cleansing with a face wash.—
Rosa Jisoo Pyo,
Vogue,
8 May 2026
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The brand’s hero product, its Plum Beauty Oil, is also the brand’s hero ingredient across top sellers, including its Plumscreen sun screen and the brand’s cleansing oil.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The back-to-back debates offered plenty of cutting moments as Mayor Karen Bass, Councilmember Nithya Raman and reality television star Spencer Pratt faced off against each other.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
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Porter focused on cutting bureaucracy, calling for a single statewide development permit to streamline approvals and reduce delays.—
Noe Padilla,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Verb
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An employee touched raw shrimp, then touched an apron cloth before washing their hands in the handwashing sink.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
May 8,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2026
-
Balogun had found a lump on the underside of her jaw while washing her face four months previously, and now her career and identity were about to be upended.—
George Ramsay,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaning. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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