as in to shed
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 exfoliate
Raw Silk Skincare Washcloths are an all-natural, reusable exfoliating cloth, designed for gently loosening up dead skin cells and makeup.
—
Tory Johnson, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Cetaphil Skin Activator Hydrating & Firming Cream The cream is formulated with mandelic acid (an alpha-hydroxy acid or AHA), which gently exfoliates the surface layer of skin to support skin cell turnover, while centella asiatica helps soothe and strengthen the natural skin barrier.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
The line also includes a scalp exfoliating shampoo and scalp serum, which are both mainstays in my monthly hair routine.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Pair it with the brand’s deeply exfoliating buffing bar to experience the full Soft Services-effect.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exfoliate
Tory Johnson, ABC News, 10 Mar. 2026
Cetaphil Skin Activator Hydrating & Firming Cream The cream is formulated with mandelic acid (an alpha-hydroxy acid or AHA), which gently exfoliates the surface layer of skin to support skin cell turnover, while centella asiatica helps soothe and strengthen the natural skin barrier.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
The line also includes a scalp exfoliating shampoo and scalp serum, which are both mainstays in my monthly hair routine.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 27 Feb. 2026
Pair it with the brand’s deeply exfoliating buffing bar to experience the full Soft Services-effect.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exfoliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exfoliate
shed
Verb
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One woman was paying $600 per month to live in a storage shed in the muddy backyard cluttered with junk and dotted with dog poop.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Alicia Garcia Herrero Chief Economist, Asia Pacific, Natixis Stocks listed in Europe also began their trading day firmly in negative territory, with the pan-European Stoxx 600 index shedding more than 1%.—
Lim Hui Jie,Anniek Bao,Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exfoliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exfoliate. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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