tidying

verb

present participle of tidy
as in brightening

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tidying
  1. brightening
  2. scrubbing
  3. dusting
  4. vacuuming
  5. freshening
  6. brushing
  7. sweeping
  8. rinsing
Verb
  • Air molecules reflect and scatter light beyond an immediate beam, which is why the sky starts brightening at dawn even before the sun climbs above the horizon.
    — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 July 2026
  • Detroit has also allowed a league-high 153 points through three weeks, further brightening Crawford’s outlook.
    — Juan Carlos Blanco, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
Definition of brightening
Verb
  • Start by scrubbing the area with a baking soda and water paste, rinse, and then spray with hydrogen peroxide and leave for 10 to 20 minutes.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 July 2026
  • Depending on the material of the grates, keep them clean by soaking and scrubbing with a few household ingredients.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 12 July 2026
Definition of scrubbing
Verb
  • Frequent cleaning by wet-dusting and wet-mopping hard surfaces such as floors and tables with plain water or gentle cleaners can keep indoor air cleaner.
    — Dr. Lauren Zajac, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026
  • Everything Feels More Manageable From yard maintenance to dusting to getting from one side of the house to the other, living in a large space can be overwhelming.
    — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026
Definition of dusting
Verb
  • Arraez has been consistently excellent at vacuuming these tough in-between hops right out of the dirt, often adding a little flair before making his throw.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 13 July 2026
  • Instead of vacuuming the poop, the Centers for Disease Control recommends cleaning it up with paper towels.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
Definition of vacuuming
Verb
  • Lemon can be used for everything from freshening bed linens to removing stains from clothes–including cleaning your microwave.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 27 June 2026
  • Neither does freshening with sprays or perfumed products like dryer sheets.
    — Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 June 2026
Definition of freshening
Verb
  • Eating After Brushing Some people worry that eating breakfast immediately after brushing will cancel out the benefits of brushing.
    — Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 10 July 2026
  • Later that day, Loftis approached a 38-year-old woman who was brushing snow off her vehicle near Madison Avenue and West 79th Street.
    — Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 9 July 2026
Definition of brushing
Verb
  • On a warm July afternoon near Fairbanks, a volunteer with the Alaska Bee Atlas kneels beside a patch of blooming fireweed, gently sweeping a net through the air.
    — Timothy Bundy, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
  • Its walls are decorated with sweeping murals by Philip Guston, Ben Shahn, and twin sisters Ethel and Jenne Magafan.
    — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of sweeping
Verb
  • As many news reports will remind you, thoroughly rinsing produce under clean, running water is recommended, especially for fruits and vegetables with nooks and crannies where dirt and contaminants may become trapped.
    — Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026
  • Spray with hydrogen peroxide and wait 10 minutes before rinsing and drying.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 July 2026
Definition of rinsing
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.

Browse Nearby Words

tidy
tidying
tidying (up)
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Cite this Entry

“Tidying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tidying. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tidying

Nglish: Translation of tidying for Spanish Speakers

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