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
Joseph StrombergAdd pearl onions, mushrooms, and a dusting of marjoram.—Hali Ramdene
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
James PoniewozikExamples of dusting in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonathan Gitlin Even with a heavy dusting of spring pollen drybrushing highlights onto the Continental GT's matte exterior, this was a car that attracted attention.
—ArsTechnica, 13 May 2025
Use a seed-starting mix and cover the seeds with just a dusting of soil.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025
There was a light dusting of snow in shadier portions and a tiny amount of water in the creek parallel to the trail.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025
Maintenance cleans include dusting, vacuuming, and mopping, cleaning of horizontal surfaces, and spot-cleaning of vertical surfaces such as walls and cabinet fronts.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dusting
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
ArsTechnica, 13 May 2025
Use a seed-starting mix and cover the seeds with just a dusting of soil.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025
There was a light dusting of snow in shadier portions and a tiny amount of water in the creek parallel to the trail.
—Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2025
Maintenance cleans include dusting, vacuuming, and mopping, cleaning of horizontal surfaces, and spot-cleaning of vertical surfaces such as walls and cabinet fronts.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dusting
Cite this Entry
“Dusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dusting. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share