as in bleaching
to make white or whiter by removing color
years of sunlight had almost completely whitened the flag
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Recent Examples of whitening
This isn’t your average at-home teeth whitening kit.
—
Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2025
They’ve been accepted by the American Dental Association (ADA) as a safe and effective at-home whitening treatment—but their popularity doesn’t end there.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Oxygen bleach soaks—Oxygen bleach (not to be confused with chlorine bleach) is a gentle yet powerful whitening agent.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
Sometimes, manufacturers add preservatives or whitening agents.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whitening
Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2025
They’ve been accepted by the American Dental Association (ADA) as a safe and effective at-home whitening treatment—but their popularity doesn’t end there.
—Kristin Braswell, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2025
Oxygen bleach soaks—Oxygen bleach (not to be confused with chlorine bleach) is a gentle yet powerful whitening agent.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 4 Oct. 2025
Sometimes, manufacturers add preservatives or whitening agents.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whitening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whitening
Verb
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The Laundress Whites Detergent really boosts the brightness of everything—and no yellowish tint that often comes from bleaching clothes.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
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More than that, the YouTuber decided to rid her face of eyebrows, bleaching the hairs above her eyes to match the hue of her hair.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Specifically, the official tasting notes detail cedar, nutmeg, and cinnamon on the nose; vanilla extract, butterscotch, and black pepper on the palate; and fading black pepper and some more cinnamon on the finish.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
11 Nov. 2025
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When Susana’s fading mind begins to fold past and present into one, the film becomes a meditation on time and the traces family stories leave behind.—
Essie Assibu,
Variety,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whitening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whitening. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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