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
Effects include: Teeth whitening: One of the most common reasons people use hydrogen peroxide is to whiten teeth.
—
Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 15 May 2025
Every new detergent from Procter & Gamble that whitens your laundry 10% better is a sustaining innovation.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
After almost 40 years of using whitening products, Anderson has sworn them off since February 2024.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 25 Mar. 2025
With the nails properly buffed, whitening products can come into play.
—Jenny Berg, Allure, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiten
Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 15 May 2025
Every new detergent from Procter & Gamble that whitens your laundry 10% better is a sustaining innovation.
—Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 12 May 2025
After almost 40 years of using whitening products, Anderson has sworn them off since February 2024.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 25 Mar. 2025
With the nails properly buffed, whitening products can come into play.
—Jenny Berg, Allure, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiten
Verb
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Paper towel pulp may be bleached during this process or left unbleached and natural.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 July 2025
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Rising sea temperatures compound the damage, triggering bleaching events that cause coral to expel their life-giving algae.—
Ashlee Marie Preston,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Verb
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Sunscreen, chlorine, saltwater, and even rough drying habits can wear down the fabric, leaving colors faded and suits stretched out.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
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The spark seemed to fade, then the extra effort went AWOL.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
4 July 2025
Verb
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Flagg will have to bulk up and find his footing against NBA-level competition, but Dallas’ future has improbably brightened — just a few months ago, fans staged fake funerals outside of home games.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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There’s no need to spend time and money at the dentist to get a whiter smile — these Crest Whitestrips can brighten your smile in under an hour.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whiten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiten. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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