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Synonyms

cleanser

American  
[klen-zer] / ˈklɛn zər /

noun

  1. a preparation for cleansing, as a liquid or powder for scouring sinks, bathtubs, etc., or a cream for cleaning the face.

  2. a person or thing that cleanses.

  3. Chiefly Eastern New England. a dry-cleaning establishment.

cleanser British  
/ ˈklɛnzə /

noun

  1. a cleansing agent, such as a detergent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cleanser

before 1000; Middle English; Old English clǣnsere; see cleanse, -er 1

Explanation

A substance you use to scour, scrub, or wash something is a cleanser. Even if you sweep the kitchen floor every day, eventually you'll need to give it a deep clean with a mop and a cleanser. Cleanser and cleaner are very similar, and they can be swapped in usage. However, it's more common to save cleanser for the stuff used to do the cleaning, rather than the person who cleans. You might wash your face with a special cleanser every night, or sprinkle a powerful cleanser in the tub to get it extra clean. And a palate cleanser is something (like sorbet) that clears tastes from your mouth before you taste something else.

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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.

By the time you’re invited to nibble the pulp off seeds straight from a tamarind pod, a palate cleanser before dessert, you may have forgotten that the island you’re on is Manhattan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Executives will clearly be hoping for a fresh start - a palate cleanser if you like - for the show as well as for the wider TV industry.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2025

He was getting a shampoo from his mother and sister when a container of bathroom cleanser spilled and some of it got into his eyes.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2025

Dermatologists encourage kids to get into the habit of using age-appropriate products such as a daily sunscreen, gentle cleanser and hydrating moisturizer.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2025

I got dust rags and Comet cleanser in case I needed them.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.