Synonyms

cleaning

American

[klee-ning] / ˈkli nɪŋ /

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.

Other Word Forms

self-cleaning adjective

Etymology

Origin of cleaning

First recorded in 1655–75; clean + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“A lot of the stragglers have done a good job cleaning up their act,” says Ed Al-Hussainy, global rates strategist at Columbia Threadneedle Investments.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

Nazarian said the property owner will be billed for clearing and cleaning the lot.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

The Food Standards Agency says there are a number of actions businesses can take to avoid cross-contamination, including cleaning utensils, handwashing and storing ingredients separately.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The closest comparison comes from marine ecosystems, where fish visit "cleaning stations" to have parasites removed by smaller species.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

“Mostly cleaning and tidying rooms, making the beds—that sort of thing.”

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023