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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Recent Examples of whiten
There may be extra charges for things like gum contouring, laser reshaping, temporary veneers or replacements, whitening or polishing sessions, and upgrades or re-scans of materials.
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William Jones, USA Today, 24 Nov. 2025
His hair was long, the light of the laptop whitening his eyes.
—James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
This number one-selling electric toothbrush is equipped with four cleansing modes to whiten and brighten your teeth over time, plus eight replacement heads for convenience.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Right now the retailer is taking 35% off Crest 3D Whitestrips, a dentist-recommended, safe for enamel teeth-whitening pick.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for whiten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whiten
Verb
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For the promo tour, Brown had borrowed clothes from Pamela Anderson and Paris Hilton and bleached her blonde hair as an ode to the film's '90s theming.—
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To honor the occasion, Reese bleached her hair and chopped it to her collarbone.—
Verb
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The California Association of Realtors also predicts that, as economic uncertainty fades and rates begin to decline more steadily, the housing market should improve throughout 2026.—
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As human activity and food waste returned, those differences appeared to fade in later generations.—
Verb
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How to Eat To brighten up your winter menu, make a tropical-fruit juice salad with kiwi.—
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An InStyle writer swears by the Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer for brightening her dark under-eye circles and acne marks.—
Cite this Entry
“Whiten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whiten. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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