plural dustings
1
: the act of making something clean by brushing or wiping away dirt and dust from the surface
The furniture needs a good dusting.
2
a
: a small amount of something that falls or is sprinkled over a surface
During summer, the cracked floor looks prehistoric under the desert sun; during winter, it's intermittently covered by sheets of ice and dustings of snow.—
Joseph Stromberg
Joseph StrombergAdd pearl onions, mushrooms, and a dusting of marjoram.—Hali Ramdene
Hali Ramdene
b
: a faint or slight quality or amount
… sporting a dusting of stubble, DiSpirito runs Union Pacific, a paragon of gilded, inventive Manhattan dining.—James Poniewozik
James PoniewozikExamples of dusting in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bake them until golden brown and serve warm with a dusting of powdered sugar for a bakery-quality treat right at home.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2025
Use the floor brush for stairs, the crevice tool for windowsills and couch cushions, and the dusting brush for dusty surfaces.
—Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
The two-in-one crevice dusting brush, and the ability to convert from a cordless stick to a handheld adds functionality for other cleaning scenarios.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025
This cake can be finished simply with a dusting of powdered sugar, or with a glossy caramel glaze or brown sugar icing, but can also be served simply with a dusting of powdered sugar.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dusting
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Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2025
Use the floor brush for stairs, the crevice tool for windowsills and couch cushions, and the dusting brush for dusty surfaces.
—Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
The two-in-one crevice dusting brush, and the ability to convert from a cordless stick to a handheld adds functionality for other cleaning scenarios.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 3 Sep. 2025
This cake can be finished simply with a dusting of powdered sugar, or with a glossy caramel glaze or brown sugar icing, but can also be served simply with a dusting of powdered sugar.
—Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dusting
Cite this Entry
“Dusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dusting. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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