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Synonyms

shaving

American  
[shey-ving] / ˈʃeɪ vɪŋ /

noun

  1. Often shavings. a very thin piece or slice, especially of wood.

  2. the act of a person or thing that shaves.


shaving British  
/ ˈʃeɪvɪŋ /

noun

  1. a thin paring or slice, esp of wood, that has been shaved from something

"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

  1. used when shaving the face, etc

    shaving cream

"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

Etymology

Origin of shaving

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at shave, -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.

While shaving her year-end forecast from $5,200 to $5,000, Teves stays just above the analyst consensus of $4,844.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

She added with a laugh that she’d brainstormed speech material the previous night while shaving her legs, despite the fact that she was outfitted in slacks at the ceremony.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

Because ethanol often trades at a discount to gasoline, E15 can be a few cents per gallon cheaper, shaving small amounts off average prices.

From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026

Today’s players earn too much money to risk their careers for whatever extra they could make by shaving points, the argument went.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

They would arrive earlier than the others and spend the morning shaving him, giving him massages with hot towels, cutting and polishing the nails on his hands and feet, and perfuming him with toilet water.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez