as in to bleach
to make white or whiter by removing color
years of sunlight had almost completely whitened the flag
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whiten
There may be extra charges for things like gum contouring, laser reshaping, temporary veneers or replacements, whitening or polishing sessions, and upgrades or re-scans of materials.
—
William Jones, USA Today, 24 Nov. 2025
His hair was long, the light of the laptop whitening his eyes.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Another plus point on her list: lauric acid can have a subtle whitening effect.
—Maria Goldbach, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2025
This isn’t your average at-home teeth whitening kit.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiten
William Jones, USA Today, 24 Nov. 2025
His hair was long, the light of the laptop whitening his eyes.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Another plus point on her list: lauric acid can have a subtle whitening effect.
—Maria Goldbach, Vogue, 16 Oct. 2025
This isn’t your average at-home teeth whitening kit.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiten
Verb
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Whether hair is bleached, color treated, or frequently heat styled, this formula aims to minimize breakage, reduce frizz, and smooth the appearance of split ends for a healthier-looking finish.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
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Schjerfbeck also liked the way Degas bleached his pastels to deaden their tone.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The notion of grief gradually fades into the backdrop, finally re-emerging in a manner that is, thanks to the film’s lumpy tonal mixture, more confusing than emotionally cleansing.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
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But even a full-bodied brass section and some formidable multi-part harmonies can’t stop the song from fading into a 18-track lineup of anemic lounge-funk flips with near-uniform tempos.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Alongside the new Luminous Silk Natural Glow Blurring Foundation, makeup artist Melissa Hernandez used the brand’s Luminous Silk Hydrating and Brightening Concealer, which boasts a creamy, radiant formula to brighten and smooth dark circles and blemishes.—
Reece Andavolgyi,
InStyle,
21 Jan. 2026
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Your 5th House of Ideation brightens as the radiant Sun meets information-gathering Mercury, encouraging playful expression and compliments.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whiten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiten. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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