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 Tackle small messes right away to prevent buildup and make deep-cleaning days easier. — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 31 Oct. 2026 Throw on a pair of protective gloves before attempting any tasks that are hard on the nails or hands — whether that’s gardening or cleaning the house or lifting rough objects. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 30 Oct. 2026 Related Stories Paul and Daniel spent 10 years cleaning in the Netherlands without papers before moving back to the Philippines, where their relatives now regard them as rich. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026 Check the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning guidance and recommended maintenance. — Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 29 Oct. 2026 Pat took care of me, cleaning my drains, staying on top of my pain medication. — Wendy Grossman Kantor, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2026 Appointments typically start with a consultation and a review of TMJ history, followed by cleaning the jawline, mapping injection points with a white eyeliner pencil and placing botulinum toxin into the muscle with very thin needles. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026 There’s always somebody cleaning, a chef, nannies, assistants. — Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026 Plainly put, consumers buy toothpaste, groceries, and cleaning supplies regardless of macro or micro economic stress. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaning

Verb

The company dispensed with its DEI disclosures to investors, scrubbing any references to goals and resources aimed at boosting diversity at the company.

— Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026
Let everything sit on your toilet bowl for a while before scrubbing gently and finally flushing your toilet.

— Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of scrubbing

Verb

This may mean removing an abusive parent as their guardian and establishing another relative or foster parent in place of the parent.

— Sasha Allen, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2026
Before the building is sold or used for secular purposes, church officials take great care when removing the religious items inside, said Jacob Preciado, director of asset management for the archdiocese.

— Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of removing

Verb

Casual, wide-leg styles also prevailed here, and tonal floral embroidery adorned some styles up the side of the leg, drawing the eye in without creating distraction.

— Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
Talarico also stated his opposition to transgender student-athletes competing in girls’ sports in a Fox News interview in September, drawing progressive criticism.

— Emma Specter, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of drawing

Verb

However, extracting it from underground brines, hard rock and recycled batteries remains challenging because it is often mixed with sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
While Evernote sought to combat negative new registrations after its acquisition, Inkdrop’s developer was less concerned about growing its customer base and more interested in extracting additional revenue from current users.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of extracting

Verb

The plans were developed by the Department of Government Efficiency, a cost-cutting team initially overseen by billionaire Elon Musk, in response to a presidential order meant to rid the government of DEI programs.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Following its 2015 merger, the company adopted an aggressive cost-cutting mandate that leadership reported hitting, quarter after quarter, ahead of schedule.

— Amer Al Ahbabi, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026