noun Uncommon

bleach

bleech

Bleach (noun) means a chemical used to whiten fabric or disinfect surfaces by removing colour or killing germs. Example: “She added a capful of bleach to the white wash.”

noun

A chemical used to whiten fabric or disinfect surfaces by removing colour or killing germs.

"She added a capful of bleach to the white wash."

"Diluted bleach is often used to disinfect kitchen surfaces."

verb

To whiten or lighten something using bleach or sunlight.

"The sun had bleached the curtains almost white."

"She bleached her hair a shade lighter for summer."

How to use bleach

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA whitening or disinfecting chemical, or the act of lightening something with it or with sunlight.

Common mistake

Never mix bleach with ammonia-based cleaners — it produces toxic gas.

Common pairings

bleach the hair chlorine bleach bleach stains

Word forms

bleacher comparative, more bleach comparative, bleached past tense, bleaches plural, bleaches plural, bleaches plural, bleaches singular, bleachest superlative, most bleach superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

She added a capful of _____ to the white wash.

Etymology

From Old English "blǣċan," meaning "to whiten," ultimately from a root meaning "to shine" — related to words like "bleak" and "bleak"-adjacent "pale."

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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blanch

Related words

blanch

Rhymes for bleach

each teach peach beach leach reach breach preach impeach outreach

See all rhymes for bleach →

Frequently asked questions

What does “bleach” mean?

The word “bleach” means a chemical used to whiten fabric or disinfect surfaces by removing colour or killing germs. In plain terms, a whitening or disinfecting chemical, or the act of lightening something with it or with sunlight.

How do you pronounce “bleach”?

“Bleach” is pronounced bleech ([blit͡ʃ] in IPA).

How do you use “bleach” in a sentence?

Here is “bleach” used in a sentence: “She added a capful of bleach to the white wash.”

What is another word for “bleach”?

Words with a similar meaning to “bleach” include blanch.

What part of speech is “bleach”?

Depending on how it is used, “bleach” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “bleach” come from?

The word “bleach” comes from Old English. From Old English "blǣċan," meaning "to whiten," ultimately from a root meaning "to shine" — related to words like "bleak" and "bleak"-adjacent "pale.".

Is “bleach” a common word?

“Bleach” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “bleach” have?

“Bleach” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a chemical used to whiten fabric or disinfect surfaces by removing colour or killing germs.

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