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

The self-sanitizing pod is equipped with a power-washing system that cleans and disinfects the toilet and the floor for a few minutes after each use. — Marissa Sulek, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026

For some, that means washing one or two times a week compared to the UK or US, where 41% of people wash upwards of three times a week, with 21% washing their hair every other day. — Anita Bhagwandas, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026

But while fall may (eventually) bring cooler nights, that doesn’t mean our normal weekly cleaning practices should fall by the wayside, like washing our sheets. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026

Scotto spent years washing dishes before he was trusted to chop onions or peel potatoes. — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026

An employee started working with bowls without washing hands. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

Additionally, the project’s closed-loop water system prevents nutrients from washing into nearby rivers, where runoff from conventional cotton production can contribute to eutrophication. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

There’s something about washing dishes and putting the clean ones away that makes my home feel more organized and clean. — Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 24 Sep. 2026