Synonyms of washing

washing

verb

present participle of wash

1

as in bathing

to flow along or against

crystal-clear waters gently wash the island's unspoiled beaches

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bathing
• splashing
• rippling
• lapping
• laving
• bubbling
• lipping
• gurgling
• sloshing
• plashing

2

as in flying

to withstand scrutiny and gain acceptance or approval

the employee's story about missing the bus didn't wash with her manager

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flying
• working
• passing
• playing
• standing up
• holding water
• taking
• holding up
• passing muster
• going down
• getting through
• going over
• going through

3

as in splashing

to flow in a broken irregular stream

soapy water washing down the drain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• splashing
• dripping
• bubbling
• rippling
• trickling
• lapping
• gurgling
• dribbling
• swirling
• plashing
• rushing
• guggling
• swishing
• eddying
• purling
• dropping
• squirting
• swashing
• swooshing
• spurting
• gushing
• spewing
• jetting
• spouting
• whishing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rolling
• pouring
• running
• streaming

4

as in wetting

to make wet

rain washed the countryside for days on end

Synonyms & Similar Words

• wetting
• drowning
• rinsing
• flooding
• soaking
• bathing
• watering
• flushing
• drenching
• wetting down
• showering
• damping
• sopping
• dousing
• submerging
• waterlogging
• sprinkling
• dipping
• splashing
• water-soaking
• bedraggling
• moistening
• sousing
• soddening
• moisturizing
• hydrating
• humidifying
• saturating
• misting
• inundating
• drizzling
• overflowing
• irrigating
• sluicing
• impregnating
• deluging
• laving
• swamping
• dampening
• hosing (down)
• dunking
• bedewing
• steeping
• sloshing
• aspersing
• rewashing
• ducking
• rehydrating
• rewetting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• drying
• dehydrating
• scorching
• searing
• evaporating
• parching
• desiccating
• dewatering
• freeze-drying
• wringing
• dehumidifying
• drip-drying

5

as in rinsing

to pour liquid over or through in order to cleanse

washed the baby's hair

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rinsing
• flushing
• flooding
• irrigating
• sluicing
• washing out
• flowing
• inundating
• engulfing
• soaking
• swamping
• streaming
• gushing
• saturating
• drenching
• rushing
• hosing
• deluging
• splashing
• sloshing
• douching
• dousing

6

as in stirring

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stirring
• swirling
• churning
• agitating
• shaking
• whipping
• whirling
• whisking
• beating
• paddling
• reeling
• wheeling

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of washing

Airbnb guests can say goodbye to checkout chores like washing dishes, stripping beds and taking out the trash under a new policy announced this week. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

An employee handled dirty utensils and dishes with gloves on and later handled clean dishes with those same gloves without washing hands in between. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026

In addition to vaccination, Public Health recommended that residents take preventive measures such as washing their hands frequently, staying home when sick and wearing masks when experiencing symptoms. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

The filter also makes the page look like a poster left too long in the sun, washing it out and reducing contrast compared to monochrome e-readers. — New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026

Restore towels by washing them with 1 cup of white vinegar and half the usual detergent, and avoid fabric softener. — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2026

Reservoirs have already fallen perilously low -- with one lake so dry this year that a small town nearby let its Little League field go dry and temporarily forbade residents from washing cars or watering lawns. — Hannah Knowles The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026

Everyday actions generate billions of these nanoparticles, Yan noted, from washing a load of laundry to reheating a dish in the microwave. — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Someone else touched a cellphone, then went back to handling food without changing gloves or washing hands. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026