as in shedding
to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside
a soap that promises to help me exfoliate all that dry, flaky skin I've apparently been carrying around
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Recent Examples of exfoliating
If breakouts are a concern, a toner that includes gentle exfoliating acids like glycolic or salicylic acid can keep pores clear and refine skin texture.
—
Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Adult skincare often contains ingredients that may irritate young skin, like fragrances, exfoliating acids, and topical retinol, derms say.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 29 Aug. 2025
Packed with moisturizing and gently exfoliating ingredients, this face cream is a dream for mature skin.
—Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 26 Aug. 2025
It’s joined by fellow exfoliating AHAs citric and tartaric as well as BHA salicylic acid, plus skin hydrators and moisturizers like hyaluronic acid, panthenol, and fatty acids.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2025
PanOxyl Clarifying Exfoliant with 2% Salicylic Acid Our tester with normal to oily skin was hoping to minimize pores and even out texture, and this PanOxyl leave-on exfoliating treatment delivered.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Wait three to five minutes so the exfoliating formula can foam and work its magic on your pores.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 4 Aug. 2025
Astaxanthin protects skin against dulling environmental aggressors but it’s also packed with various antioxidant vitamins (C and E), highly moisturizing squalane, redness-reducing centella asiatica, exfoliating lactic acid and CoQ10, another antioxidant with powerful protective properties.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 17 Oct. 2024
The nickel plate can then be pulled up, in the process exfoliating a single-atom-thick layer of the target material.
—Margo Anderson, IEEE Spectrum, 18 Oct. 2018
Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Adult skincare often contains ingredients that may irritate young skin, like fragrances, exfoliating acids, and topical retinol, derms say.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 29 Aug. 2025
Packed with moisturizing and gently exfoliating ingredients, this face cream is a dream for mature skin.
—Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 26 Aug. 2025
It’s joined by fellow exfoliating AHAs citric and tartaric as well as BHA salicylic acid, plus skin hydrators and moisturizers like hyaluronic acid, panthenol, and fatty acids.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2025
PanOxyl Clarifying Exfoliant with 2% Salicylic Acid Our tester with normal to oily skin was hoping to minimize pores and even out texture, and this PanOxyl leave-on exfoliating treatment delivered.
—Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Wait three to five minutes so the exfoliating formula can foam and work its magic on your pores.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 4 Aug. 2025
Astaxanthin protects skin against dulling environmental aggressors but it’s also packed with various antioxidant vitamins (C and E), highly moisturizing squalane, redness-reducing centella asiatica, exfoliating lactic acid and CoQ10, another antioxidant with powerful protective properties.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 17 Oct. 2024
The nickel plate can then be pulled up, in the process exfoliating a single-atom-thick layer of the target material.
—Margo Anderson, IEEE Spectrum, 18 Oct. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exfoliating
Verb
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Fellow telecommunications stocks fell on the news, with T-Mobile , AT & T and Verizon shedding 4%.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
8 Sep. 2025
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One of Hollywood’s strongest leading men is shedding muscle.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Microscopy analysis revealed telltale slice marks, scrape marks, and chop marks, as well as evidence of cremation, peeling, fractures, and human tooth marks.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
21 Aug. 2025
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In their first game of this season, West Ham showed far more weaknesses when defending corners against a physical Sunderland side who had six players in the six-yard box, with four running towards the near post, one blocking a defender and Dan Ballard peeling away to the back post.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exfoliating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exfoliating. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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