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Synonyms

peeling

American  
[pee-ling] / ˈpi lɪŋ /

noun

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

  2. that which is peeled peel 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

  • unpeeling adjective

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.

The intricate patterns and iconic brick walls that once defined the kitchen have fallen into disrepair - plaster peeling from cracked walls and sections of the floor beginning to cave in.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

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

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

“Apartment Window” is nearly abstract, sandwiching a constellation of peeling, sun-bleached cartoon stickers between a reflected sunset and the stripes of vertical blinds.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

Mr. Chiasson sets about peeling back the layers on the palimpsest of Mr. Sanders’s life.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

He has stopped midway in the peeling of an orange.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

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.