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whitening

American  
[hwahyt-n-ing, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪt n ɪŋ, ˈwaɪt- /

noun

  1. a preparation for making something white; whiting.

  2. the act or process of making or turning white.

Etymology

Origin of whitening

First recorded in 1595–1605; whiten + -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.

After four hours, the teeth showed noticeable whitening.

From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026

At the import expo, it showcased a new whitening toothpaste for the Chinese market, developed at Crest’s Beijing research institute.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

On Merseyside, the BBC found a beautician advertising illegal whitening products and training courses for fraudulent qualifications.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2025

In food, calcium phosphate is used as a whitening agent.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2025

He was leaning forward and already the salt was whitening his body.

From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

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.