cleaning

[ klee-ning ]

/ ˈkli nɪŋ /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for cleaning on Thesaurus.com

Definition of cleaning

noun

an act or instance of making clean: Give the house a good cleaning.

Slang. an overwhelming or complete defeat, financial loss, or failure: Our team took a cleaning in yesterday's game.

Informal. killing (def. 3).

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!

Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between "it’s" and "its" in this crafty quiz!

Question 1 of 8

On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.

it's

its

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of cleaning

First recorded in 1655–75; clean + -ing¹

OTHER WORDS FROM cleaning

self-cleaning, adjective

Words nearby cleaning

clean food, clean-handed, clean hands, clean hands, have, clean house, cleaning, cleaning woman, clean-limbed, cleanliness, Cleanliness is next to godliness, clean-living

How to use cleaning in a sentence

Social distancing, regular cleaning, hand sanitizer, and masks are pretty standard fare, though it may be hard to find details about what your state is doing.
Why you should vote as early as possible (and how to do it)|John Kennedy|September 17, 2020|Popular-Science
That had implications for the profits of corporations that operate on a franchise model and for contract-staffing firms, like cleaning services.
“Cover Up”: House Democrats Subpoena Documents That NLRB Refused to Share in Ethics Investigation|by Ian MacDougall|September 15, 2020|ProPublica
By 1971, waste water cleaning regulations were set at a federal level.
How a Swiss Ski Resort Was Ravaged by Typhoid and Survived|Daniel Malloy|September 9, 2020|Ozy
“My district usually does a very good job with cleaning supplies,” says Hecht.
Here’s how COVID-19 is changing classes this year|Bethany Brookshire|September 8, 2020|Science News For Students

Theaters are opening with reduced audience capacities, assigned seating, and enhanced cleaning protocols, which means far fewer people will be able to see it on opening weekend than might have packed into multiplexes in a previous year.
This is the most important movie weekend of the year|Alissa Wilkinson|September 4, 2020|Vox
One day he and some of his roommates were cleaning their room and one of the guys threw the dustpan out into the hall.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Nothing much to use in cleaning up the baby and his mother after the birth, no place to dispose of the placenta.
Jesus Wasn’t Born Rich. Think About It.|Gene Robinson|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It also means not having to stress about cleaning out your DVR.
Four TV Shows We Can’t Wait to Return In 2015|DISH|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We coo over how cute our cat is and minimize the drudgery of cleaning the litter box.
Why Didn’t Camille Dump Bill Cosby?|Amanda Marcotte|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After cleaning up the copious amount of blood on my body in a bathroom, I found my clothing and got dressed.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They ranged from moving trunks to cleaning cisterns, and, by grace of all of them, Sim was doing very well.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
They require frequent cleaning with a long wire and a bit of tow, and in some large towns there are professional pipe-cleaners.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.
While his mother was cleaning the fish, Alila made a fire and cut the bamboos at every joint.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin|Mary Hazelton Wade
I finished cleaning out my desk and took a wastebasket full of papers to the back shop.
Nine Men in Time|Noel Miller Loomis
You save all the dreadful labor of cleaning up the house the next day, as well as that of preparation.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley