whiten

[hwahyt-n, wahyt-n]

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become white.

   Antonyms: blacken

whiten

/ ˈwaɪtən /

verb

1. to make or become white or whiter; bleach

Other Word Forms

• whitening noun
• unwhitened adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of whiten¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English whitenen; white, -en ¹

Synonym Study

Whiten, blanch, bleach mean to make or become white. To whiten implies giving a white color or appearance by putting a substance of some kind on the outside: to whiten shoes. To blanch implies taking away natural or original color throughout: to blanch celery by growing it in the dark. To bleach implies making white by placing in (sun) light or by using chemicals: to bleach linen, hair.

Example Sentences

In food, calcium phosphate is used as a whitening agent.

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Directors and producers coached her to use whitening creams.

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If you're undertaking a home whitening process, sparkling water might discolor your teeth.

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Many healers of the day also recommended treating eye infections with human milk, which was known as "whitened blood".

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Wash the navy beans and run hot water through them until they are slightly whitened.

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Related Words

• bleach