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Synonyms

cleaning

American  
[klee-ning] / ˈkli nɪŋ /

noun

  1. an act or instance of making clean.

    Give the house a good cleaning.

  2. Slang. an overwhelming or complete defeat, financial loss, or failure.

    Our team took a cleaning in yesterday's game.

  3. Informal. killing.


Other Word Forms

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.

Quick said residents can take steps to limit their exposure, such as washing dusty equipment and keeping cleaning floors and other surfaces clean.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

"A lot of painting, cleaning, mowing and gardening. Every day is different," said Llwyd.

From BBC • May 21, 2026

“This is no different than a health inspector selling cleaning services on the side,” the complaints allege.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

The details are still being finalised but the cleaning will start upon arrival, said Oceanwide Expeditions.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

But now they spent their days planning and carrying out the monumental task of cleaning up a radioactive disaster zone.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

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