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:
HPV levels also fell by 80% in oral rinse samples.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Flying them, crashing them, rebuilding them, rinse and repeat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Any build-up of salt, grit, dirt or snow can be painful, so owners should check and rinse their pet's paws.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2026
“Autoship is a rinse and repeat product merchandise program that has high reliability and accuracy, both in terms of planning, in terms of delivery, and high satisfaction rating,” an executive said on the call.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 10, 2025
Akira poured a little of the water on the wound to rinse it, hissing as it touched her scalded skin.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Many common whitening products rely on peroxide-based bleaching found in strips, gels, and mouth rinses.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 23, 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 action of the water releases more cyanide, nitriles and cyanohydrins, and squeezing rinses them away.
From Salon ● May 6, 2024
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
She pulls some scallions out of the refrigerator and rinses them off in the sink.
From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na
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
Once rinsed down the drain, these fibers can enter wastewater systems.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 18, 2026
We used special grated mittens to wipe the mixture off of our bodies in the private zen garden, then rinsed off in the shower.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2025
They also advised that all food waste shout be put into a food waste caddy and recyclable materials should be rinsed to help stop them being attacked by birds, animals or other vermin.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2025
Madeline must have rinsed it in hot water to take away the chill, she realized, and this small generous gesture made her eyes fill.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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
After rinsing the pipe, workers will refill it with clean water, refill the hole and repave the street.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 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
If you're rinsing your plates before putting them in the dishwasher you're doing it wrong, says Andrew Laughlin, principal researcher at consumer group Which?
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
He’s now pouring the rest of the contents of his cereal bowl into the drain strainer and rinsing the sink.
From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King
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.
