cleaner

noun

clean·​er ˈklē-nər 

plural cleaners

1

a

: one whose work is cleaning

b

: dry cleaner

also : a dry-cleaning shop

—usually used in plural

2

: a preparation for cleaning

3

: an implement or machine for cleaning

see also take to the cleaners

Synonyms

• cleanser
• detergent
• soap

Examples of cleaner in a Sentence

He recommends using baking soda as a general household cleaner.

a kitchen shelf loaded with household cleaners

Recent Examples on the Web

Unless a cleaner can come the morning of or the day before, messes are bound to happen between their session and the party. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Dec. 2024

This is a true international endeavor: German director Wim Wenders collaborated with Japanese writer Takuma Takasaki to make a whimsical film about a Tokyo toilet cleaner who is obsessed with analog film and Patti Smith cassette tapes. —Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Dec. 2024

He’s also accused of lying about the number of active cleaners on Rumby, which was advertised as a platform connecting online customers to dry cleaners and laundry services. —Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 17 Dec. 2024

Canadian filmmaker and fellow Berlinale alum Denis Côté is back in Panorama with Paul, a documentary on a cleaner who uses his job cleaning homes and sharing his routines on social media to help combat depression and social anxiety. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cleaner

• dry cleaner
• house cleaner
• pipe cleaner
• the cleaner's
• vacuum cleaner

Kids Definition

cleaner

noun

clean·​er ˈklē-nər 

1

: one whose work is cleaning

2

: a substance used for cleaning

3

: a device or machine for cleaning