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Synonyms

peeling

American  
[pee-ling] / ˈpi lɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of a person or thing that peels.

  2. that which is peeled from something, as a piece of the skin or rind of a fruit.


peeling British  
/ ˈpiːlɪŋ /

noun

  1. a strip of skin, rind, bark, etc, that has been peeled off

    a potato peeling

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of peeling

First recorded in 1555–65; peel 1 + -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.

Perhaps the biggest downside of garlic is the prep work: peeling and mincing individual cloves can be a nuisance even for the everyday home cook.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

Previously, thin layers of MoSe2 were created using exfoliation -- a method similar to peeling layers off a crystal with adhesive tape.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

Some proposed baking banana bread, while others considered peeling, chopping and freezing the fruit.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

“Every situation is slightly different, and you have to start peeling the onion,” Smith said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

But we were pretending this was normal, so I picked up an apple and started peeling.

From "The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller

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