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

Now, to the handwashing shortcomings, such as a cashier handling customer’s payment, then preparing drinks and serving plates of food to customers without washing hands (cash and payment cards tend to be germ motherships). — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026

In a single-person household, washing your bath mat every one to two weeks is typically sufficient. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2026

If lily pollen or another substance is on a cat’s coat, Wahlen recommends wiping it away or washing the area with diluted dish soap to prevent ingestion during grooming. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026

The overall experience for me has been one of pressure-washing my teeth, with an intensity that my gums do not enjoy. — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026

My duties in washing the dishes mark the exact time and place. — Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Researchers haven’t determined an exact frequency for washing your sheets. — Carley Millhone, HEALTH, 1 Sep. 2026

How to Use Washing Soda to Treat Stains Mix two tablespoons of washing soda with equal parts water to form a paste. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 1 Sep. 2026

An employee was washing and rinsing mixing bowls in the front hand wash sink. — Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026