rubbing alcohol

noun

: a cooling and soothing liquid for external application that contains approximately 70 percent denatured ethanol or isopropanol

Examples of rubbing alcohol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and borax are all trustworthy to remove color transfer on white garments. —Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2025

This tincture spray — made by soaking cut up avocado pits in 91 percent rubbing alcohol overnight — can help with just about any type of pain, one TikTok user claims in a video that has racked up millions of views. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 24 Feb. 2025

Before using the container, sanitize it with mild dish soap and water or rubbing alcohol. —Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Feb. 2025

Disinfect your pruning shears with rubbing alcohol between cuts to prevent bacterial spread. —Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for rubbing alcohol

• chloramphenicol
• dithiothreitol
• geospatial
• isopropanol
• meridional
• paracetamol
• peroxisomal
• visuospatial
• aerosol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol

Kids Definition

rubbing alcohol

noun

: a cooling and soothing solution for use on the outside of the body that contains an alcohol and water

Medical Definition

rubbing alcohol

noun

rub·​bing alcohol ˈrəb-iŋ-ˌ 

: a cooling and soothing liquid for external application that contains approximately 70 percent denatured ethanol or isopropyl alcohol