Showing results for "bleaching"

• present participle of bleach.

bleaching

American  

[blee-ching] / ˈbli tʃɪŋ /

noun

1. the application of bleach or another chemical agent to something in order to whiten, lighten, clean, or disinfect.

   Bleaching is not recommended for this fabric.

   She gives her kitchen countertops a weekly bleaching.

2. the process of becoming whiter or lighter in color, such as by prolonged exposure to sunlight, the application of chemicals, or other means.

   The bleaching of animal bones in the desert is a well-known phenomenon.

3. a loss of color in coral that indicates declining health: caused by a loss of the algae that normally live symbiotically in the coral's tissues.

4. Photography. the conversion of the silver image of a negative or print to a silver halide, either to remove the image or to change its tone.

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Etymology

Origin of bleaching

First recorded in 1550–60, bleaching for def. 1; 1970–75, bleaching for def. 3; bleach ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bleaching

If not this year, "it's almost 100 percent that soon in Okinawa, all around the world, we will have another mass bleaching event," the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University professor told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026

Wildfires, floods, melting ice caps, heat waves, the bleaching of ocean reefs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

"Every global coral bleaching event has been during an El Nino year," said Clint Oakley, a coral scientist at Victoria University of Wellington.

From Barron's ● May 22, 2026

Many common whitening products rely on peroxide-based bleaching found in strips, gels, and mouth rinses.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 23, 2026

The temperature was climbing up, and the sky was bleaching yellow with heat.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt