rinse
Americanverb (used with object)
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rinses,
present (3rd person singular)
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rinsed,
past participle, past
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rinsing
present participle
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to wash lightly, as by pouring water into or over or by dipping in water.
to rinse a cup.
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to douse or drench in clean water as a final stage in washing.
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to remove (soap, dirt, etc.) by such a process (often followed byoff ).
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to use a rinse on (the hair).
noun
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rinses
plural
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an act or instance of rinsing.
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the water used for rinsing.
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any preparation that may be used on the hair after washing, especially to tint or condition the hair.
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an act or instance of using such a preparation on the hair.
verb
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to remove soap from (clothes, etc) by applying clean water in the final stage in washing
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to wash lightly, esp without using soap
to rinse one's hands
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to give a light tint to (hair)
noun
-
the act or an instance of rinsing
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hairdressing a liquid preparation put on the hair when wet to give a tint to it
a blue rinse
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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prerinsenoun
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rinsabilitynoun
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rinseabilitynoun
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rinsernoun
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prerinseverb (used with object)
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rinsableadjective
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rinseableadjective
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unrinsedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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rinsesimple
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rinsessimple
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have rinsedperfect
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has rinsedperfect
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am rinsingprogressive
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are rinsingprogressive
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is rinsingprogressive
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have been rinsingperfect progressive
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has been rinsingperfect progressive
Past
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rinsedsimple
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had rinsedperfect
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was rinsingprogressive
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were rinsingprogressive
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had been rinsingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rinse
1300–50; Middle English ryncen < Middle French rincer, Old French recincier < Vulgar Latin *recentiāre to make new, refresh, equivalent to Latin recent- (stem of recēns ) fresh, recent + connective -i- + -āre infinitive suffix
Explanation
When you rinse something, you run water over it. You probably at least rinse your hands before sitting down to eat, and rinse your dishes afterward. After shampooing your hair in the shower you need to rinse it, and many recipes call for you to rinse rice before cooking it. You can also rinse your mouth out, either with water or mouthwash. When it's a noun, rinse means the act of rinsing, or a hair treatment: "After the red rinse, you'll barely recognize yourself." Rinse shares the Latin root recens, "fresh or new," with recent.
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:
“And that is rinse and repeat what happens to really good art and really good movements, and it’s what happened with Afropunk.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
"We lifted the artefact, and then on the surface a quick rinse revealed 'Guinness'," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
The outbreak is a reminder of one of the persistent questions that surrounds lettuce: Do I need to rinse my “triple-washed” lettuce?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Wash and rinse the rice before soaking it in a fresh bowl of water for 20 to 25 minutes.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2026
That night when I went to the bathroom I only pretended to brush my teeth, for I feared that I would somehow rinse the prayer out as well.
From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri
The researchers suggest that adding arginine to products such as toothpaste or oral rinses could help protect people who are especially prone to cavities.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 9, 2026
Instead, he puts a small amount of Dawn, which he buys in bulk to save, into the left side of his sink, adds water and rinses through dirty dishes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
The brand touts a variety of products including shampoo, conditioner, a hair oil, a hair mask and a shaking vessel to apply rinses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2024
Her dentist suggested hydrogen peroxide rinses, but they were ineffective.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 6, 2023
Around me a woman rinses cups in the sink, and Matt scrapes crumbs from his plate into the trash.
From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord
Jack had reached for a vol-au-vent, swallowed it whole in one bite, rinsed it down with a glass of champagne and seized center stage all in one action.
From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026
"I've literally just rinsed out my underwear, and clothes I wore out, to try and give myself another day."
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
The solution that is not polymerized can then be rinsed away and the electrodes remain.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 15, 2025
The rocks were then placed in a woven basket with water and acorn flour that had been rinsed and re-rinsed over several days, to remove bitter tannins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2025
I also rinsed my spoon and washed my hands and face.
From "Z for Zachariah" by Robert C. O’Brien
Kniel said her lab has tested the effects of rinsing cyclospora off produce, and found that it removes some eggs, but not all of them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
In the local hospital, a modest building nestled within the hillside town's trees and high grass, healthcare workers are rinsing both floor and walls with a chlorine solution.
From Barron's ● May 24, 2026
The dedicated staff introduced us to the elephant we’d be bathing, allowing us to each scrub a quarter of the animal before rinsing clean.
From Salon ● Jan. 13, 2026
Among solutions suggested are players rinsing their mouths with water after consuming energy drinks, and being encouraged to go to regular dental check-ups.
From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2025
We wear ribbons every day except Saturday when we wash them by hand, Dell and I side by side at the kitchen sink, rubbing them with Ivory soap then rinsing them beneath cool water.
From "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson
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.
