What does "hoover" mean?
A vacuum cleaner of the Hoover brand, or irrespective of brand (alternative form of hoover).
Hoover
/ˈhuːvə(ɹ)/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A vacuum cleaner of the Hoover brand, or irrespective of brand (alternative form of hoover).
- Grammar: hoover is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: absorb, clean, devour, electric vacuum.
- Useful contrasts: broom, dust, lose.
- Usage evidence: She bought a Hoover at the supermarket.
How to use "hoover"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hoover" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hoover" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hoover" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "hoover" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hoover" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "absorb" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "hoover", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A vacuum cleaner of the Hoover brand, or irrespective of brand (alternative form of hoover).
- 2 A vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand. Ireland, UK
""What do you do about dogs that don't like Hoovers?" […] At the first opportunity place the Hoover in the area where your dog is lying calmly, and since it is normally the noise that sends it into those fits of anger, it should be unconcerned with a silent machine. Continue to place the Hoover in those areas that your pet is relaxing until it is familiar with the Hoover being in such close proximity. […] By continuing to distract your pet each time the Hoover is switched on but stationary, you should be able to move it a little closer without causing your pet any alarm."
- 3 a kind of vacuum cleaner wordnet
Verb
- 1 Alternative letter-case form of hoover. alt-of
"I helped Mum tidy up and watched while she Hoovered the carpet."
- 2 To clean (a room, etc.) with a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand. British, Ireland, ambitransitive
"I need to hoover this room."
- 3 clean with a vacuum cleaner wordnet
- 4 To use a vacuum cleaner, irrespective of brand. British, Ireland, intransitive
"I'd hoover, iron or dust, but I hated doing windows."
- 5 To suck in or inhale, as if by a vacuum cleaner. transitive
"'You're probably thinking I'm a slob,' said Lister, finishing off a quintuple-thick milkshake and hoovering around the base with the straw."
Proper Noun
- 1 An American surname from German (shared by several famous people including J. Edgar Hoover and Herbert Hoover).
- 2 A number of places in the United States:; A city in Jefferson County and Shelby County, Alabama, incorporated in 1967 and named after William H. Hoover.
- 3 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Adams Township, Cass County, Indiana, named after founder Riley Hoover.
- 4 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Platte County, Missouri, named after merchant James Hoover.
- 5 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Garvin County, Oklahoma, named after physician Daniel H. Hoover.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Butte County, South Dakota, named after cattleman John Hoover.
Example
"She bought a Hoover at the supermarket."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "hoover"?
Common synonyms include: absorb, clean, devour, electric vacuum, gather, gobble.
How do you use "hoover" in a sentence?
She bought a Hoover at the supermarket.
How do you pronounce "hoover"?
Pronounced /ˈhuːvə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
The surname is an anglicization of German Huber or Low German Hufer, originally designating a landowner or a prosperous small-scale farmer. The common noun and verb are taken from the brand name of one of the first vacuum cleaners (see hoover).
Etymology 2
Genericized trademark of Hoover, the brand name of one of the first vacuum cleaners, which was sold by The Hoover Company. The American company was founded by William Henry Hoover (1849–1932) and his son Herbert William Hoover, Sr. (1877–1954). The surname Hoover is an Anglicized version of the German Huber, originally designating a landowner or a prosperous small-scale farmer.