detergent
Americannoun
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detergents
plural
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any of a group of synthetic, organic, liquid or water-soluble cleaning agents that, unlike soap, are not prepared from fats and oils, are not inactivated by hard water, and have wetting-agent and emulsifying-agent properties.
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a similar substance that is oil-soluble and capable of holding insoluble foreign matter in suspension, used in lubricating oils, dry-cleaning preparations, etc.
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any cleansing agent, including soap.
adjective
noun
adjective
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A cleaning agent that increases the ability of water to penetrate fabric and break down greases and dirt. Detergents act like soap but, unlike soaps, they are derived from organic acids rather than fatty acids. Their molecules surround particles of grease and dirt, allowing them to be carried away.
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Compare soap
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of detergent
First recorded in 1610–20; from French or directly from Latin dētergent- (stem of dētergēns, present participle of dētergēre ) “to wipe off”); see origin at deterge, -ent
Explanation
Detergent is a substance that's used for cleaning. Detergent is similar to soap, but it's stronger and dissolves more completely in water. Detergents are special, powerful cleansers that can break up dirt, oils, and grease in clothing or on dishes. You might buy laundry detergent for washing your dirty clothes and dish detergent for the sink full of plates and bowls after your dinner party. The Latin root of detergent is detergere, "to wipe away or cleanse."
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.
See Examples For:
Janice Sedgwick, a volunteer at the charity's Guildford branch, said needed items were things like "toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, sanitary pads and laundry detergent".
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
She hired her house manager to allow her room for joy and to be fully present with her 6-year-old daughter instead of worrying about whether they were running low on laundry detergent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
And even as algae consumes that phosphorus, it is being topped up in the water by agriculture, wastewater, un-maintained septic tanks, industry and every household in the catchment that puts phosphorus-containing detergent into the system.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
And it regularly sets discounts for its laundry detergent to reduce the price from about $12.99 to just under $9.99.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
“It seems silly not to,” she replied, pouring a drop of detergent onto a sponge.
From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri
The end-of-summer networking bonanza was organised by 20 business groups representing everything from cars to clean energy, digital to detergents.
From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026
This includes whether contaminated clothing could transfer lead to other items in the wash and how detergents interact with the chemical.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 2, 2026
Petroleum is also used to make detergents that help toothpaste foam and synthetics that improve shelf life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 21, 2026
As well as clothing and shoes, the cupboard also stocks personal hygiene products and laundry detergents.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
Water pollution experts throughout the United States are concerned by the fact that detergents are now a troublesome and practically universal contaminant of public water supplies.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
