1
as in greasing
to coat (something) with a slippery substance in order to reduce friction
waxing a surfboard
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whipping
slang
to defeat by a large margin
I can't believe I bet on a football team that ended up getting waxed 45-0
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in increasing
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
the commitment of the young volunteers to the cause seems to wax and wane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in becoming
to eventually have as a state or quality
waxed poetic whenever he wrote to his girlfriend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waxing
Kathryn Crawford, The Conversation, 3 June 2026
On June 16, a thin waxing crescent moon joins the evening planet trio and sits about 3 degrees above and slightly to the left of Mercury and about 5 degrees to the right and slightly below Jupiter.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 June 2026
Wednesday, June 17After sunset in the west, a 5%-lit waxing crescent moon will be positioned between Jupiter and Mercury, with Venus shining above.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
The $18 billion in IPO proceeds plus the $1 billion in free cash flow from the other two businesses combined wouldn’t even cover the $20 billion the AI side spent on plant, property and equipment last year, and that figure is waxing fast.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 May 2026
The moon was waxing gibbous and would be full in four days.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar in which months last either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the waxing crescent moon.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
Verb
Specifically, the study found that concentrations of PFAS in dust in wax rooms dropped significantly after the fluoro bans were implemented and waxing areas were cleaned.
—Kathryn Crawford, The Conversation, 3 June 2026
On June 16, a thin waxing crescent moon joins the evening planet trio and sits about 3 degrees above and slightly to the left of Mercury and about 5 degrees to the right and slightly below Jupiter.
—Joe Rao, Space.com, 1 June 2026
Wednesday, June 17After sunset in the west, a 5%-lit waxing crescent moon will be positioned between Jupiter and Mercury, with Venus shining above.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
The $18 billion in IPO proceeds plus the $1 billion in free cash flow from the other two businesses combined wouldn’t even cover the $20 billion the AI side spent on plant, property and equipment last year, and that figure is waxing fast.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 May 2026
The moon was waxing gibbous and would be full in four days.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar in which months last either 29 or 30 days, depending on the sighting of the waxing crescent moon.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waxing
Verb
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prep your pan by greasing the bottom and sides of a 13x9 with cooking spray or butter.—
Maggie Meyer Glisan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 May 2026
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Todd starred in these films for over 20 years, greasing lines all over Wyoming’s Tetons, California’s Sierras, and Alaska’s Chugach mountains that other skiers and snowboarders didn’t even think were ridable.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Seahawks won those shootouts, but that was mostly due to their special teams whipping the Rams and their offense going off, especially in the Super Bowl qualifier.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
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Throughout the record, the image of Petras’ life in freefall recurs, giving the record a sense of hair-whipping freedom and heart-stopping urgency.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Leading up to Election Day, the Democratic share of those later ballots, which often determine the outcome in California, was steadily increasing as liberal-leaning voters began to make their choice.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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At that time, Musk accused the FTC of aggressively increasing the number of investigative demands.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Around the same time as Duran was duelling with Sugar Ray Leonard in the 1980s, Rolando Blackman, born and raised in Panama City, was becoming an NBA All-Star with the Dallas Mavericks.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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The planet is becoming less habitable, largely because of the attitude of exploitation and violence that found an outlet with men like Audubon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Prevent rust by cleaning cast iron right after cooking, drying it thoroughly, and oiling it every time.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
17 Jan. 2026
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Mohapi adds that oiling a dry scalp works best before washing, not after.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Maintaining your yard by mowing, removing leaf litter, and trimming vegetation reduces tick habitats.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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Here where to find more information on tree trimming policies.—
CBS Miami Team,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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This year’s rodeo, held on August 7 and 8, is moving to the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center in Shawnee to accommodate rising attendance.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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Early arrivals bring rising excitement While airports have not yet seen the largest crowds expected for the tournament, excitement is already building among fans who have arrived early.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The same crowd booed when council members mentioned the growing popularity of artificial intelligence.—
Mary Ramsey
Updated June 8,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
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Japan has long been battling a growing bear problem with deadly attacks reached record levels last fall.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waxing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waxing. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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