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 Leave the cleaning solution to soak on the rubber gasket for about 5 to 10 minutes. — Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026 In all, roughly 1,200 workers are still grinding away, some with power tools, others with 10-foot-long feather dusters, cleaning the rafters beneath the canopy. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026 Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53, was driving the cleaning company’s van when the Boeing 767 ran off the runway and struck his vehicle. — Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026 While cleaning every day is the last thing anyone wants to do, there are a few simple practices minimalists do every night before bed to maintain an organized home. — Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 24 Sep. 2026 Sullivan began her chores, which included cleaning the home’s windows. — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026 Kia does not specifically recommend nitrogen tire inflation, transmission flushing, or fuel induction cleaning as part of the normal maintenance schedule. — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026 Everyone, meanwhile, can enjoy the simple, perfect sight gag of a voluptuous sheep cleaning a blackboard with her ample fleece. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026 Rubber or silicone gloves for protection while cleaning or doing the dishes. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 18 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaning

Verb

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
Storing knives loose in a drawer and scrubbing them too zealously creates a fine network of scratches, further dulling the finish.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of scrubbing

Verb

That equates to removing the electricity demand of roughly 50,000 window air conditioners from the grid or powering approximately 34,000 households for four hours each day during peak demand.

— Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2026
Before applying the mulch, Singh advises removing any handles, tape, staples, or labels from the paper bags.

— SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of removing

Verb

Take an extra beat (and a bit of water) to emulsify the formula before rinsing it off for a thorough cleanse.

— Sarah Han, Allure, 24 Sep. 2026
Prepare the sprouts for storage by rinsing and draining the sprouts thoroughly, then laying them out on a dish towel to dry for an hour or so.

— Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of rinsing

Verb

Skytrax collects data from airline passengers via surveys over the course of 12 months, drawing from over 100 different passenger nationalities.

— Scott Laird, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2026
Earlier this year, in February, Kaplan sold Rembrandt’s drawing Young Lion Resting for $18 million at auction at Sotheby’s, the proceeds of which supported global wild cat conservation organization Panthera.

— Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of drawing

Verb

Head spas are credited with cleansing the scalp, stimulating blood flow, strengthening hair follicles and lowering stress and anxiety.

— Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Wellbeing Butlers are at your beck and call to arrange reiki, gratifyingly strong massages in open air, cleansing Balinese ceremonies at the resort temple, or sunrise qi gong on the practically private sand.

— Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of cleansing

Verb

Refiners turn oil discarded by restaurants and other waste fats into transportation fuel, extracting additional value from crops already grown and oils that have already served their original purpose.

— Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Two oil companies, Britain’s Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum, are due to begin a joint project extracting from the oilfield within two years.

— Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of extracting

Verb

The self-sanitizing pod is equipped with a power-washing system that cleans and disinfects the toilet and the floor for a few minutes after each use.

— Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
For some, that means washing one or two times a week compared to the UK or US, where 41% of people wash upwards of three times a week, with 21% washing their hair every other day.

— Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of washing

Verb

This change is apparent in the fact that European governments, too, are cutting funding for religious freedom advocacy.

— Matthew Schmitz, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
In a sign of growing staff unrest over the steady stream of cost-cutting announcements across the BBC, some workers made their feelings known on a Microsoft Teams call earlier this week.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of cutting

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“Cleaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaning. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of cleaning

verb

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