as in cleaning
to use a vacuum cleaner on (something) in order to remove dirt
I vacuumed the living room.
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Recent Examples of vacuuming
Ever feel like your home feels dustier after you're done vacuuming?
—
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026
This forces your house cleaner to spend time picking up instead of vacuuming your carpet.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Jan. 2026
Even decorative throw pillows can be freshened by vacuuming away dust and cleaning the covers.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 Jan. 2026
Simple habits like vacuuming more frequently and avoiding personal care products that contain phthalates can lower exposures.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
If the bugs do get inside, sweeping or vacuuming them up is perhaps the easiest way to dispose of the insects.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Rhincodon typus, to use their scientific name, eat their ample fill by ram filter-feeding, vacuuming up gallons of water to strain out small prey before the water exits their gills.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Feb. 2026
This forces your house cleaner to spend time picking up instead of vacuuming your carpet.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Jan. 2026
Even decorative throw pillows can be freshened by vacuuming away dust and cleaning the covers.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 Jan. 2026
Simple habits like vacuuming more frequently and avoiding personal care products that contain phthalates can lower exposures.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
If the bugs do get inside, sweeping or vacuuming them up is perhaps the easiest way to dispose of the insects.
—Maia Pandey, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Rhincodon typus, to use their scientific name, eat their ample fill by ram filter-feeding, vacuuming up gallons of water to strain out small prey before the water exits their gills.
—JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vacuuming
Verb
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Make sure to use a damp mop rather than a soaking wet one, or use a floor spray designed for hardwood floors and a dry cleaning pad to clean the surface.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The facility’s employees lacked food safety knowledge in several areas including holding temperatures, proper sanitizing of food contact surfaces and cleaning frequency.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
February 13,
Sacbee.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Allowing people to keep doing some tasks on their own, like brushing their teeth, is critical for keeping their sense of self in the world.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Turn them over; repeat brushing with olive oil and sprinkling seasonings.—
Faye Levy,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Still, the department is sweeping in its scope, responsible not only for immigration enforcement, but also disaster response and airport security.—
Ximena Bustillo,
NPR,
14 Feb. 2026
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North Crowley girls a favorite North Crowley (27-4, 12-0 District 3-6A) has the utmost momentum after sweeping through a tough district slate, which includes Boswell, the 2025 Class 6A Division II state champion.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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And the whole hall, baseboards and walls, is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Scuff-X finish, durable enough for scrubbing with soap or a Magic Eraser.—
Kelley Bruss,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
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That’s why scrolling by date and scrubbing through videos still works — search hides uncertainty, scrolling shows everything.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Wash Delicates Keep delicates separate from other garments by washing them in old pillowcases.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
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The method was also easier than washing and drying grapes before storage, and a brief rinse before eating removed any trace of vinegar flavor.—
Alma Avalle,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vacuuming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vacuuming. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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