What does "washing" mean?
The action of the verb to wash
Washing
/ˈwɑʃ.ɪŋ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The action of the verb to wash
- Grammar: washing is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: laundry, wash, ablution, ablutions.
- Useful contrasts: dirtying action, color retention, colorfastness.
- Usage evidence: I'll take in the washing before it rains.
How to use "washing"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "washing" 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 "washing" 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 "washing" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "washing" 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 "washing" is acting as 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 "laundry" 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 "washing", 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 The action of the verb to wash countable
"I then took a piece of dry stone, ground it fine in a mortar, and placed the powder in water, the sand particles sunk rapidly to the bottom, while the clay remained suspended, and by several washings and decantings the sand and clay could be approximately separated […]"
- 2 the work of cleansing (usually with soap and water) wordnet
- 3 Clothing, bedlinen or soft furnishings that have been, are currently being, or are to be washed; laundry. Australia, British, New-Zealand, uncountable
"My mother used to do the washing on a Monday"
- 4 garments or white goods that can be cleaned by laundering wordnet
- 5 The residue after an ore, etc, has been washed countable, in-plural, often
"The washings have a higher concentration of metal"
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 The liquid used to wash an ore. countable, uncountable
- 7 A place where a precious metal found in gravel is separated from lighter material by washing. countable, uncountable
"the gold-washings, or silver-washings"
- 8 A thin covering or coat. countable, uncountable
"a washing of silver"
- 9 A fraudulent transaction in which the same stock is simultaneously bought and sold for the purpose of manipulating the market. countable, uncountable
- 10 The covering of a piece with an infusible powder, which prevents it from sticking to its supports, while receiving the glaze. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 present participle and gerund of wash form-of, gerund, participle, present
Antonyms
Example
"I'll take in the washing before it rains."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "washing"?
Common synonyms include: laundry, wash, ablution, ablutions, bath, bathe.
How do you use "washing" in a sentence?
I'll take in the washing before it rains.
How do you pronounce "washing"?
Pronounced /ˈwɑʃ.ɪŋ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English waschynge, weschynge, from Old English *weasċing, *wæsċing (attested in weasċingweġ), from Proto-West Germanic *waskingu, equivalent to wash + -ing. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Waaskenge (“washing”), West Frisian wasking (“washing”), Dutch wassing (“washing”), German Waschung (“washing”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English waschyng, wasschynge, wasschinge, wesschinge, wassende, from Old English *wasċende, *wæsċende, from Proto-West Germanic *waskandī, from Proto-Germanic *waskandz (“washing”), present participle of Proto-Germanic *waskaną (“to wash”), equivalent to wash + -ing. Cognate with Dutch wassend, German waschend, Swedish vaskande.