Showing results for "cleaner"

• comparative of clean.

cleaner

American  

[klee-ner] / ˈkli nər /

noun

• cleaners
  plural

1. a person who cleans, especially one whose regular occupation is cleaning offices, buildings, equipment, etc.

2. an apparatus or machine for cleaning, as a vacuum cleaner.

3. a preparation for use in cleaning, as a detergent or chemical bleach.

4. the owner or operator of a dry-cleaning establishment.

   The cleaner said he couldn't get the spot off my coat.

5. Usually cleaners. a dry-cleaning establishment.

   My suit is at the cleaners.

---

idioms

1. take to the cleaners, to cause to lose all or a great deal of one's money or personal property, as through gambling or a bad investment.

   He got taken to the cleaners in the poker game last night.

cleaner British  

/ ˈkliːnə /

noun

1. a person, device, chemical agent, etc, that removes dirt, as from clothes or carpets

2. (usually plural) a shop, etc that provides a dry-cleaning service

3. informal to rob or defraud a person of all of his money

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• precleaner
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cleaners
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cleaner

First recorded in 1425–75, cleaner is from the late Middle English word clener. See clean, -er ¹

Explanation

A cleaner is either a person whose job involves tidying and disinfecting, or it's a substance used to do that work, like soap. If the cleaner runs out of window cleaner, they might try using vinegar. Professional cleaners might work in people's homes, in which case you might call them housekeepers, or they might work in office buildings, on work sites, or really anywhere that needs to be cleaned. Some cleaners (like dry cleaners) clean clothing and other textiles. Being a cleaner is hard work — and if you've ever watched workers suspended on scaffolding using big squeegees to clean skyscraper windows, you know that it can be thrilling work, too.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cleaner cleaners

Peeling produces a slightly cleaner finished syrup, but because the mixture will eventually be strained, leaving the skins on works perfectly well.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

Facebook's cleaner, simpler design pulled users away, and MySpace struggled through redesigns and ownership changes before fading from mainstream use.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

But the Western States Petroleum Assn. trade group opposes that, saying it would penalize California refiners that have already invested in making the cleaner fuel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

"We are running short of bread. There was no fresh bread today because the bakeries are closed," Miguel Angel Campana, a municipal street cleaner in Ceuta, told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

At her order, I fetched the vacuum cleaner for her and she ran it underneath the window to make certain she got the tiniest shards, this so the cats wouldn’t get them in their paws.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

While healing from their losses, they hustled, working as caregivers, nannies, Uber drivers and house cleaners.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026

He became a suspect after a clerk at a dry cleaners that had been robbed saw Brambles at a motel and called police.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Among the examples cited by the task force was the case of French programmer Sammy Azdoufal, who reportedly accessed data from thousands of robotic vacuum cleaners made by Chinese manufacturer DJI.

From Barron's ● Jul. 28, 2026

Businesses, public sector organisations and charities can continue to use a hosepipe where it is directly needed for their commercial activities, this includes professional cleaners and car washing services.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

But the vacuum cleaner did it faster and better, and soon Mrs. Jones was the envy of all the other housewives in town—so they bought vacuum cleaners, too.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien

Related Words

• cleanser
• disinfectant
• soap