Synonyms for

Wash

Verb / wɑ:ʃ / Another word for wash — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

To clean something using water and soap

Synonyms & similar words

washables rinse backwash lap moisten slipstream washout laundry lavation race washoff drywash airstream washing washdrawing lave dampen launder washaway clean scrub rinse launder shampoo swab sponge sanitize purify sterilize decontaminate flush douse bathe soak immerse brush polish buff shine

Synonyms by register

Formal

cleanse purify launder

Informal

scrub rinse spruce up

Literary

bathe cleanse

Antonyms

dry soil soil dirty stain soil

Common collocations

  • wash hands
  • wash car
  • wash dishes
  • wash clothes
  • wash face
  • wash down
  • wash out

Word family

noun wash
verb wash
adjective washable
adverb washily

Usage note

The verb 'wash' can be used transitively (wash the car) or intransitively (the dishes will wash themselves). It can also refer to a process of cleaning or a quantity of something that has been washed.

Example sentences

  1. I need to wash my clothes before I wear them again.
  2. My mom told me to wash the dishes after dinner.
  3. I like to wash my car on a sunny day.
  4. I always wash my face before I go to bed.
  5. The baby needs a bath, let's wash him.

Quotes

  • Wash your face every morning in a bath of praise. - Charles Spurgeon
  • Wash your hands of all things bad. - Proverb
  • Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral. - Paulo Freire

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