- present participle of wash.
washing
Americannoun
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the act of a person or thing that washes; ablution.
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clothes, linens, etc., washed or to be washed, especially those washed at one time; wash.
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Often washings any liquid that has been used to wash something.
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matter removed or carried off in washing something or by the force of water.
The washings from numerous spring floods had clogged the mouth of the river.
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Mining.
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material, as gold dust, obtained by washing earth, gravel, etc.
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the deposits so washed.
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Metalworking. wash.
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the act of making a wash sale.
noun
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articles that have been or are to be washed together on a single occasion
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liquid in which an article has been washed
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something, such as gold dust or metal ore, that has been obtained by washing
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a thin coat of something applied in liquid form
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of washing
First recorded in 1175–1225, washing is from the Middle English word wasschunge. See wash, -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.
See Examples For:
Practicing proper hand washing and washing all fresh produce under clean running water are also key, although they don’t eliminate the risk of contamination completely.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
"That restorative sleep is super important for physical repair, learning and memory and washing out the toxins of the day," Macauley said.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026
In its inspection of a Taylor facility in Colorado that processed the onions, the FDA recorded issues like dirty equipment and rare hand washing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
Experts say the risk varies in different parts of the country and that in California, basic washing of produce remains sufficient.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Her hands were still in the sink, but she had stopped washing.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
When they couldn’t identify any known cold virus, they inoculated adult volunteers with extracts from the nasal washings to confirm that something in the samples caused colds.
From Science Magazine ● Jan. 11, 2024
They should hold up to repeated washings and they should be as beautiful as they are sturdy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2023
Do not let the stained fabric dry out between washings!
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2022
A comfortable, nonslip grip and the ability to stand up to many uses and washings are other considerations.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 23, 2020
They were so worn from countless washings that the threads were beginning to separate.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
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.
