washes 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of wash
1
as in bathes
to flow along or against crystal-clear waters gently wash the island's unspoiled beaches

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2
as in flies
to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval the employee's story about missing the bus didn't wash with her manager

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3
4
5
6
as in stirs
to cause (as a liquid) to move about in a circle especially repeatedly she absentmindedly washed her tea by tipping her cup, until the honey was at last mixed in

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washes

2 of 2

noun

plural of wash
as in marshes
spongy land saturated or partially covered with water an invasive species threatening the plants native to the region's washes

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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 washes
Verb
Its Ozmo roller mop washes itself with hot water and dries with heated air. PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025 Unlike on Earth, however, where rain washes dust from the air, Martian dust can linger for months. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025 For something more multifunctional, try this Bissell wet-dry vacuum that sucks up debris and washes floors in one fell swoop. Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025 According to Energy Star, the average American family washes approximately 300 loads of laundry annually. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025 Boiled down in a cauldron using traditional methods, the sulfate-free formula bubbles up into a lovely lather that washes hands without stripping them (the glycerin, as well as coconut, olive, and sweet almond oils, are to thank) and fills the room with its sophisticated, Provençal scents. Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025 Environmental groups support paying farmers to leave flood-prone land because floodwater that spreads across farm fields washes fertilizer, pesticides and other chemicals into rivers, causing a range of down-river harms. Molly Parker, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025 The machine also washes and dries the brush around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025 Since relatively little lives or grows in their caves, the fish are likely surviving on a meager diet of mostly bat feces and organic waste that washes in during the rainy season. ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
Available in three versatile washes and sizes 4 to 18, these stylish bottoms have an elastic drawstring waist and functional pockets to hold your belongings. Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025 When to Replace Microfiber Cloths With regular proper care, a microfiber cloth can last up to two years or 300 to 500 washes. Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2025 Outside the traditional houses, labels like Acne Studios and Casablanca added visual interest to jeans with bold and brash washes and finishing treatments. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 17 Oct. 2025 The four fragrances will be available to purchase in a wide assortment, including three-wick candles, fine fragrance mists, body creams, body washes, foaming hand soaps, hand sanitizer sprays, laundry care, decor and wallflowers. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2025 Forecasters warn of ponding water and minor flooding on roads and in washes. Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025 Ahead, discover the best face washes, vetted by top dermatologists and Vogue editors alike. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2025 And despite the budget-friendly price point, this tee washes well and holds its shape over time. Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025 The 100% cotton material is available in various colors, from light denim washes to black, and the jeans come in sizes SM-XXXL. Laura Lu, Parents, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for washes
Verb
  • Carrie Lazoen bathes her daughter in a special bath chair.
    Erika Edwards, NBC news, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Each composition bathes Cherry and Hero in lush hues that mirror their growing intimacy.
    Leila Latif, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The film, which is a sequel to the classic 1990 Christmas movie, follows the young and spirited Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), who mistakenly gets on a plane headed for New York City while the rest of the family flies to Florida.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Oct. 2025
  • That said, both Painter and Brown said the airport video likely flies in the face of appropriations law.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Reed landed multiple Tsunami splashes on Reigns, who was stretchered out of the arena.
    Fernando Quiles Jr, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Coppola splashes the screen with kaleidoscopic clips and a collage-like energy to show off their genius.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But the comedy is absolutely something that wets my beak, I'm drawn to it.
    H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Watering from above also wets the foliage, which can lead to fungal diseases or powdery mildew on a mum's leaves.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Go with the classic Sun In Hair Lightener, enriched with aloe, marigold, chamomile, and flaxseed, or the newer Fun In by Sun In Temporary Hair Color, which rinses out after one wash.
    Annie Blackman, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What stirs the last phrase is an impatience with cliché.
    Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The Ryder Cup, too, stirs intense concentrations of emotion given the team format.
    Kevin Coulson, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Hovering blue flames that flicker over bogs and marshes have inspired ghostly folktales for centuries.
    Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Coastal cities have spent the centuries reclaiming land by filling in marshes.
    Sarah Botstein, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Darwent works with three other teachers.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • That introduced me to works like Hiroshima, Mon Amour, The Battle of Algiers, and Claude Lanzmann’s Shoah, which really show how cinema can radically change how an entire nation sees itself.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Washes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/washes. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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