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
One of the presoak methods is more effective in whitening dingy socks.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
The whitening agent will help to brighten grout lines.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Dec. 2025
With snow whitening the field and wind whipping through the air all afternoon, Lindsey completed 18 of 24 passes in a safe diet of screen plays and out routes for 90 yards.
—CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025
Plus, score savings on best-selling teeth whitening strips.
—Isabel Garcia, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for whitening
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 Jan. 2026
The whitening agent will help to brighten grout lines.
—Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Dec. 2025
With snow whitening the field and wind whipping through the air all afternoon, Lindsey completed 18 of 24 passes in a safe diet of screen plays and out routes for 90 yards.
—CBS News, 30 Nov. 2025
Plus, score savings on best-selling teeth whitening strips.
—Isabel Garcia, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for whitening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whitening
Verb
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His inability to recognize the oxymoron makes Cole’s introspection on this topic feel less like a genuine reckoning and more like a feeble attempt at bleaching out the darkest stains of his career.—
Benny Sun,
Pitchfork,
10 Feb. 2026
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For White, Bleach-Safe Clothing Gagliardi says to always avoid bleaching clothing made from materials like wool, silk, mohair, leather, and spandex—even if the item is white.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the crushing depths of the ocean or the vacuum of deep space, one of the key threats to technology is the fading battery.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
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Amid the recent furore, that trust and respect seem to be all but fading.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Whitening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whitening. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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