1
as in scrubbing
to remove the dirt from
we cleaned the clothes before donating them to charity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in removing
to take the internal organs out of
cleaned the rabbit before cooking it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cleaning
Don’t forget your rugs, Ryan Knoll, owner of Tidy Casa, a home cleaning company that cleans over 600 homes a month.
—
Alora Bopray, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Three quick-connect spray tips offer a range of cleaning from precision to wide-area, an extra-large 22-ounce foam cannon for deep suds and 25 feet of hose with an additional 35 feet of cord for total reach.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Press the handle in and detach the blending arm for cleaning.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Grab a two-pack on Amazon for $21 right now, and check out more kitchen cleaning hacks.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2026
With the right approach, cleaning your windowsills doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Lago explained in a March 10 meeting that the fee would make required maintenance cheaper and easier for business owners, while letting the city manage sidewalk pressure-cleaning and repairs, landscaping and streetscape upkeep to clean and beautify the city.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Chorney was cleaning construction sites and offices across the Lower Mainland, managing client relationships, handling every email, phone call, and quote himself.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
These sensors allow the robot to map its surroundings, avoid obstacles, and plan cleaning paths more efficiently.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
Alora Bopray, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Three quick-connect spray tips offer a range of cleaning from precision to wide-area, an extra-large 22-ounce foam cannon for deep suds and 25 feet of hose with an additional 35 feet of cord for total reach.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Press the handle in and detach the blending arm for cleaning.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Grab a two-pack on Amazon for $21 right now, and check out more kitchen cleaning hacks.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2026
With the right approach, cleaning your windowsills doesn’t have to be time-consuming or complicated.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Lago explained in a March 10 meeting that the fee would make required maintenance cheaper and easier for business owners, while letting the city manage sidewalk pressure-cleaning and repairs, landscaping and streetscape upkeep to clean and beautify the city.
—Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
Chorney was cleaning construction sites and offices across the Lower Mainland, managing client relationships, handling every email, phone call, and quote himself.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
These sensors allow the robot to map its surroundings, avoid obstacles, and plan cleaning paths more efficiently.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 27 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleaning
Verb
-
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table did a good job of scrubbing the air in my tests.—
John R. Delaney,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Soapy water is her go-to for scrubbing away greasy gunk.—
Lori Keong,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The president himself chose not to name a new full-time national security adviser after removing Mike Waltz, who had included a journalist in supposedly secure communications regarding military action.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Redick had said that the team considered removing Doncic, who suffered his hamstring strain in the third quarter against Oklahoma City, and Reaves at halftime.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a statement, the Stop Aurora Pit Bull Ban Team, a group that advocated for repealing the city's breed-specific ban, urged caution in drawing conclusions about the incident.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
When Wolfgang overdoses on laudanum, however, Anna Marie performed disguised as Wolfgang donning a dramatic red costume and face paint, captivating the court and drawing the envy of Mozart’s greatest rival, Antonio Salieri.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Raw meat was frozen in trash bags and an employee washed dishes without rinsing them.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
2 Apr. 2026
-
An employee was washing and rinsing dishes.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In any context, everyone is justified in resisting or repelling any invasion of their person or property, extracting restitution or exacting punishment in response to an invasion, or helping someone else do the same.—
Connor Okeeffe,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Afghanistan joined Iran as countries singled out by the United States for detaining Americans in hopes of extracting policy concessions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Use it after cleansing and prepare to be wowed by how smooth your skin feels.—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
This nourishing cleansing oil provides deep hydration for youthful, healthy-looking skin.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That the Illini couldn’t complete their comeback attempt despite cutting it to four in the final minutes was dismaying.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony a couple of hours before the game, gigantic scissors slicing a pink ribbon.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To maintain balayage color, it is recommended to avoid washing hair for three days post-application and use hair masks or natural hair oil to keep the color vibrant.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
4 Apr. 2026
-
In college, that morphed into her providing free detergent for those washing their clothes.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleaning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleaning. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
