Cleaning — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun adjective phrase /ˌself-ˈklē-niŋ/ (adjective) /ˈspriŋ-ˈklē-niŋ/ (noun)

Meaning & Definition of Cleaning

Cleaning (verb)

  1. to make clean
  2. to rid of dirt, impurities, or extraneous matter
  3. to rid of corruption
  4. to make a spectacular profit in a business enterprise or a killing in speculation or gambling
  5. to become free of drug or alcohol addiction

Cleaning (noun)

  1. a woman whose job is to clean offices or houses
  2. a person whose job is to clean offices or houses
  3. the cleansing of fabrics with substantially nonaqueous organic solvents
  4. something that is dry-cleaned
  5. the act or process of doing a thorough cleaning of a place

Cleaning (adjective)

  1. capable of cleaning itself

Cleaning (phrase)

  1. to clean a house and its furniture
  2. to make sweeping reforms or changes (as of personnel)
  3. to beat one badly in a fight or competition
  4. to behave in a more acceptable manner

Cleaning (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to remove the dirt from

    "we cleaned the clothes before donating them to charity"

    similar: cleansing, deterging, GI'ing, turning out
    related: decontaminating, purging, purifying, disinfecting, sanitizing, brushing, combing, dry-cleaning, dusting, laundering, mopping, mucking (out), rinsing, scouring, scrubbing, shampooing, sponging, swabbing, sweeping, vacuuming, washing, wiping, brightening, deodorizing, freshening, sprucing (up), sweetening, picking up, straightening (up), tidying, uncluttering
    opposite: besmirching, dirtying, fouling, soiling, spotting, staining, sullying
    near: begriming, muddying, defiling, polluting, tainting, blackening, discoloring

  2. to take the internal organs out of

    "cleaned the rabbit before cooking it"

    similar: disemboweling, drawing, eviscerating, gutting
    related: boning, dressing, cutting, excising, extracting, removing, withdrawing, yanking, transplanting

Related Entry: Clean (verb)

Clean is a different word from Cleaning. The synonyms below are for clean, not for cleaning.

  1. to remove the dirt from

    "we cleaned the clothes before donating them to charity"

    similar: cleanse, deterge, GI, turn out
    related: decontaminate, purge, purify, disinfect, sanitize, brush, comb, dry-clean, dust, launder, mop, muck (out), rinse, scour, scrub, shampoo, sponge, swab, sweep, vacuum, wash, wipe, brighten, deodorize, freshen, spruce (up), sweeten, pick up, straighten (up), tidy, unclutter
    opposite: besmirch, dirty, foul, soil, spot, stain, sully
    near: begrime, muddy, defile, pollute, taint, blacken, discolor

  2. to take the internal organs out of

    "cleaned the rabbit before cooking it"

    similar: disembowel, draw, eviscerate, gut
    related: bone, dress, cut, excise, extract, remove, withdraw, yank, transplant

Related Entry: Clean (up) (verb)

Clean (up) is a different word from Cleaning. The synonyms below are for clean (up), not for cleaning.

  1. to make a place neat and orderly by removing extraneous stuff

    "you're expected to clean up after you use the workroom"

    similar: pick up, tidy (up), clean house, set straight
    related: houseclean, housekeep, clean (off), neaten, police (up), straighten (up), turn out, unclutter, arrange, order
    near: clutter, disarrange, mess (up)

  2. to remove objectionable parts from

    "cleaned up the rock star's interview before publishing it in the newspaper"

    similar: bowdlerize, censor, expurgate, launder, red-pencil
    related: cleanse, purge, purify, abbreviate, blue-pencil, edit, shorten, bleep, blip, cut (out), delete, excise, expunge, gut, x (out), black out, repress, silence, suppress, censure, condemn, denounce, examine, review, screen, scrutinize
    near: approve, authorize, sanction

  3. to destroy all traces of

    "hurriedly cleaned up the mess that they had created in the kitchen"

    similar: abolish, annihilate, black out, blot out, cancel, efface, eradicate, erase, expunge, exterminate, extirpate, liquidate, obliterate, root (out), rub out, snuff (out), stamp (out), sweep (away), wipe out
    related: decimate, demolish, destroy, devastate, ravage, dismantle, flatten, mow (down), raze, tear down, ruin, total, waste, wreck, blast, blow up, dash, dynamite, smash, atomize, consume, devour, dissolve, fragment, powder, pulverize, shatter, splinter, doom, finish, kill, kill off, terminate, zap, cut, discard, ditch, eject, excise, expel, jettison, oust, throw out
    near: conserve, preserve, protect, save, build, construct, create, fabricate, fashion, forge, form, frame, make, manufacture, shape, fix, mend, patch, rebuild, recondition, reconstruct, renew, renovate, repair, restore, revamp

Related Entry: Cleaning (off) (verb)

Cleaning (off) is a different word from Cleaning. The synonyms below are for cleaning (off), not for cleaning.

  1. as in turning out, straightening (up)

    similar: neatening, policing (up), straightening (up), turning out, uncluttering, housecleaning, housekeeping, arranging, ordering, cleaning (up), picking up, tidying (up)
    opposite: cluttering, disarranging, messing (up)

Related Entry: Cleaning (out) (verb)

Cleaning (out) is a different word from Cleaning. The synonyms below are for cleaning (out), not for cleaning.

  1. as in cheating, defrauding

    similar: cheating, defrauding, shortchanging, denuding, bankrupting, disfurnishing, impoverishing, abating, bereaving, depriving, divesting, stripping

Related Entry: Cleaning house (phrase)

Cleaning house is a different word from Cleaning. The synonyms below are for cleaning house, not for cleaning.

  1. to make a place neat and orderly by removing extraneous stuff

    "We should clean house before the guests begin to arrive."

    similar: cleaning (up), picking up, tidying (up), setting (something) straight
    related: housecleaning, housekeeping, cleaning (off), cleaning (up), neatening, policing (up), straightening (up), turning out, uncluttering, arranging, ordering
    near: cluttering, disarranging, messing (up)

Related Entry: Cleaning up one's act (phrase)

Cleaning up one's act is a different word from Cleaning. The synonyms below are for cleaning up one's act, not for cleaning.

  1. to change one's behavior or character for the better

    "If you want to land a decent job, you need to clean up your act."

    similar: amending, mending, reforming, shaping up, straightening (up or out)
    related: behaving, regenerating, bettering, improving
    near: backsliding, regressing

Related Entry: Dry-cleaning (verb)

Dry-cleaning is a different word from Cleaning. The synonyms below are for dry-cleaning, not for cleaning.

  1. as in washing, brushing

    similar: brushing, combing, dusting, laundering, mopping, mucking (out), rinsing, scouring, scrubbing, shampooing, sponging, swabbing, sweeping, vacuuming, washing, wiping, cleaning, cleansing, deterging, GI'ing, turning out, decontaminating, purging, purifying, disinfecting, sanitizing, brightening, deodorizing, freshening, sprucing (up), sweetening, picking up, straightening (up), tidying, uncluttering
    opposite: begriming, muddying, defiling, polluting, tainting, blackening, discoloring, besmirching, dirtying, fouling, soiling, spotting, staining, sullying

Related Entry: Clean house (phrase)

Clean house is a different word from Cleaning. The synonyms below are for clean house, not for cleaning.

  1. to make a place neat and orderly by removing extraneous stuff

    "We should clean house before the guests begin to arrive."

    similar: clean (up), pick up, tidy (up), set (something) straight
    related: houseclean, housekeep, clean (off), clean (up), neaten, police (up), straighten (up), turn out, unclutter, arrange, order
    near: clutter, disarrange, mess (up)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Cleaning

The most common words with a similar meaning to Cleaning:

cleansing, deterging, GI'ing, turning out, disemboweling, drawing, eviscerating, gutting

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Cleaning

Words with the opposite meaning of Cleaning:

besmirching, dirtying, fouling, soiling, spotting, staining, sullying

Related Words for Cleaning

decontaminating, purging, purifying, disinfecting, sanitizing, brushing, combing, dry-cleaning, dusting, laundering, mopping, mucking (out), rinsing, scouring, scrubbing, shampooing, sponging, swabbing, sweeping, vacuuming, washing, wiping, brightening, deodorizing, freshening, sprucing (up), sweetening, picking up, straightening (up), tidying

Near Antonyms of Cleaning

begriming, muddying, defiling, polluting, tainting, blackening, discoloring

Word Forms of Cleaning

Inflections: cleaned, cleans, cleaned up, cleaning up, cleans up

Derived words: cleanability (noun), cleanable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Cleaning

Middle English clenen "to clear of weeds," derivative of clene clean:1

First known use: 15th centuryt

Words & Phrases Containing Cleaning

cleaning lady, cleaning person, dry cleaning, self-cleaning, spring-cleaning

Frequently Asked Questions about Cleaning

What does "Cleaning" mean?

"Cleaning" means to make clean. As an a verb, a noun, an adjective and a phrase, it is defined as: to make clean. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Cleaning"?

Other words for "Cleaning" include cleansing, deterging, GI'ing, turning out, disemboweling, drawing, eviscerating and gutting. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Cleaning" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Cleaning"?

There are 48 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Cleaning". Common alternatives include cleansing, deterging, GI'ing, turning out, disemboweling, drawing, eviscerating and gutting.

What is the opposite of "Cleaning"?

Antonyms of "Cleaning" include besmirching, dirtying, fouling, soiling, spotting, staining and sullying. Near antonyms include begriming, muddying, defiling and polluting.

How do you use "Cleaning" in a sentence?

Examples of "Cleaning" in a sentence: "we cleaned the clothes before donating them to charity"; "cleaned the rabbit before cooking it".

Is "Cleaning" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Cleaning" can be used as a verb, a noun, an adjective and a phrase, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Cleaning"?

"Cleaning" is pronounced /ˌself-ˈklē-niŋ/ as an adjective and /ˈspriŋ-ˈklē-niŋ/ as a noun.

What is the origin of the word "Cleaning"?

"Cleaning" comes from Middle English clenen "to clear of weeds," derivative of clene clean:1. First known use: 15th centuryt.