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
1
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
1
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- bleaches
- Third person singular
- bleaches
- Past tense
- bleached
- Comparative
- bleacher, more bleach
- Superlative
- bleachest, most bleach
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."
Synonyms
View more →
whitener
decolour
discolorise
decolor
discolorize
discolourise
decolorize
decolourise
decolourize
decolorise
blanch
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for bleach
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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