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Definition of whiten

whiten

/ˈwaɪ.tən/
whit · en
Adjective:white
•
Past Simple:whitened
•
Past Participle:whitened
•
Present Participle:whitening
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whiten Lexical Profile

whiten Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To make or become white or whiter in color.

Example

"Many people use specialized toothpaste to whiten their teeth over time."

2

To lose color or turn pale (especially of a person's face or skin due to shock, fear, or illness).

Example

"His knuckles began to whiten as he gripped the steering wheel during the heavy storm."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for whiten
Antonyms
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• Rhymes for whiten

• Nearby Words

whitehead
whitehorse
whitelist
whiten
whitener
whiteness
whitening

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in Middle English from the adjective 'white' (from Old English 'hwīt') combined with the verbal suffix '-en', reinforced by Old Norse 'hvítna' meaning 'to become white'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Whiten. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/whiten
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