as in to bleach
to make white or whiter by removing color
years of sunlight had almost completely whitened the flag
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whiten
Many mouthwashes contain citrus for their whitening abilities.
—
Sherri Gordon, Health, 2 Feb. 2025
Free of alcohol and fluoride, this harnesses charcoal, antioxidants, and essential oils to detox your mouth and whiten your teeth.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2025
One big exception will be in the East, where a storm will soak portions of the northeastern U.S. with rain and will even whiten some areas with light snow on New Year's Eve.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
Arrietty Next in is Arrietty, who does elf drag by whitening the triangle between her eyebrows to the extreme.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiten
Sherri Gordon, Health, 2 Feb. 2025
Free of alcohol and fluoride, this harnesses charcoal, antioxidants, and essential oils to detox your mouth and whiten your teeth.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2025
One big exception will be in the East, where a storm will soak portions of the northeastern U.S. with rain and will even whiten some areas with light snow on New Year's Eve.
—Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
Arrietty Next in is Arrietty, who does elf drag by whitening the triangle between her eyebrows to the extreme.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiten
Verb
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Unlike bleaching your hair platinum blonde or chopping it all off into a pixie, bleaching your brows is a relatively low-commitment way to transform your look and make a big impact.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
5 Mar. 2025
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One theory is that a lengthy heat wave last year largely attributed to climate change and blamed for bleaching corals may have changed the algae in ocean waters, especially near the sea floor, where sawfish are often found.—
Curt Anderson,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The easy, and true, earlier justifications about who attacked whom, and about whether Vladimir Putin should be allowed free rein of Europe, faded into cliché.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2025
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But when Yvonne develops troubling symptoms from a tick bite, the rural paradise fades away revealing a breeding ground for a disturbing new life.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Ahead, the 10 best kojic acid products to brighten and clear your skin.—
Deanna Pai,
Allure,
12 Mar. 2025
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Patients looking to brighten their skin tone and reduce fine lines often turn to Silkro and Thulium laser treatments, which refine skin texture while addressing pigmentation concerns.—
Alexandra Harbert,
USA TODAY,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whiten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiten. Accessed 18 Mar. 2025.
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