bleach

verb

ˈblēch How to pronounce bleach (audio)
Definition of bleachnext
as in to fade
to make white or whiter by removing color bleached the stained shirt back to its original white

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bleach If a garment or surface isn’t clearly bleach safe, test the product on an inconspicuous area first. — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 16 Aug. 2026 Sometimes, corals of a single reef don’t bleach evenly, with some individuals dying off while their neighbors persist. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026 Inside, the scenery is far more elaborate than in its outdoor counterparts as there is no danger of it getting bleached by the sun or blowing away. — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 Their typically bright coral feathers were white, as if they had been bleached. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bleach
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bleach
  1. fade
  2. brighten
  3. dull
  4. whiten
Verb
  • As his memories begin to fade, he's left in a panic, not wanting to lose everything.
    — Grace Dean, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • It was designed to give Hawthorne’s fading downtown a boost with three major department stores — JCPenney in addition to the Broadway and Montgomery Ward — as well as numerous shops and a movie theater.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of fade
Verb
  • Phase 2 begins when the fragment reaches denser air, and the meteor begins to brighten.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Apply this in the morning to brighten your skin and protect it from environmental stressors.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of brighten
Verb
  • For Alex’s family, those seven months have done little to dull the anguish over what happened to him — or their determination to see the two officers who fired the shots held responsible.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The sparkle in her eyes had dulled and her smile seemed forced.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of dull
Verb
  • There’s a bullet hole in Hal’s forehead, as well as a significant accumulation of snow on his already whitening hair.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Pretty early on Europeans became obsessed with skin whitening creams—again, problematic—many of which contained really, really harmful ingredients, also problematic, like lead and mercury.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of whiten

Browse Nearby Words

blazons
bleach
bleached
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bleach.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bleach. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bleach

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about bleach

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