dusting

noun

dust·​ing ˈdə-stiŋ 

plural dustings

1

: the act of making something clean by brushing or wiping away dirt and dust from the surface

The furniture needs a good dusting.

2

a

: a small amount of something that falls or is sprinkled over a surface

During summer, the cracked floor looks prehistoric under the desert sun; during winter, it's intermittently covered by sheets of ice and dustings of snow.

—Joseph Stromberg

Add pearl onions, mushrooms, and a dusting of marjoram.

—Hali Ramdene

b

: a faint or slight quality or amount

… sporting a dusting of stubble, DiSpirito runs Union Pacific, a paragon of gilded, inventive Manhattan dining.

—James Poniewozik

Examples of dusting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Keeping up with dusting on a regular basis will help the air quality in your home and make those cozy nights on the couch much more comfortable. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Nov. 2024

My shelves were overrun with stuff, all meaningful to me, but needing dusting and eventually, thinning out. —Erica Pandey, Axios, 9 Oct. 2024

But don’t overlook winter, as San Marino’s much emptier streets are even more romantic, especially if you’re treated to a light dusting of snow. —Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 9 Oct. 2024

Usually a good sweep out after nesting season and a light dusting of food-grade diatomaceous earth to take care of pests should be sufficient. —Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined at sense 1