- present participle of groom.
grooming
Americannoun
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the care of a body and its physical appearance, such as the personal hygiene routine of brushing one’s teeth or combing one’s hair, or the washing, brushing, etc., of a dog or horse.
Grooming your dogs at home is less expensive than taking them to the groomer, if you can stand the wet dog smell and the hair that ends up everywhere.
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the act or result of preparing a trail for a specific use, such as skiing, biking, or hiking.
Donation boxes have been posted at each trail to cover their grooming and other maintenance costs.
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the act or process of preparing someone to fill a position or role or to undertake an activity.
The grooming of new personnel to handle additional responsibilities requires team leaders who will act as mentors and share constructive feedback.
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an act or instance of engaging in behaviors or practices intended to gradually condition or emotionally manipulate a victim over time, as through friendship, gifts, flattery, etc., in order to entrap the person in a sexually abusive or predatory relationship.
The ongoing targeting and grooming of minors online shows that our safety protocols for children on the internet are insufficient.
Etymology
Origin of grooming
First recorded in 1810–20 grooming for def. 1 and in 1985–90 grooming for def. 4; groom ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. )
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.
Across from the main entertaining spaces sits a six-stall barn complete with an executive office, staff quarters, three grooming stations, a feed kitchen, and storage.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
Beware of lilies, which are toxic to cats; even chewing the leaves or licking pollen off their fur while grooming can be fatal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
The beavers, which live on the Holnicote Estate, Exmoor, Somerset, were captured on trail cameras grooming each other.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
But she said what followed was a gradual process of grooming that she did not recognise at the time.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Mother steps out of the den, lopes to me, and begins grooming my fur.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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