wipe

1 of 2

verb

wiped; wiping

transitive verb

1
a
: to rub with or as if with something soft for cleaning
b
: to clean or dry by rubbing
c
: to draw, pass, or move for or as if for rubbing or cleaning
wiped his hand across his brow
2
a
: to remove by or as if by rubbing
wipe the spots off the glass
b
: to expunge completely
wipe from memory the gruesome scenesAmer. Guide Series: Del.
3
: to spread by or as if by wiping

intransitive verb

: to make a motion of or as if of wiping something

wipe

2 of 2

noun

1
a
b
: jeer, gibe
2
a
: an act or instance of wiping
b
: a transition from one scene or picture to another (as in movies or television) made by a line moving across the screen
3
: something (such as a towel) used for wiping
Phrases
wipe one's boots on
: to treat with indignity
wipe the floor with or wipe the ground with
: to defeat decisively

Examples of wipe in a Sentence

Verb Would you wipe the dishes? She wiped her eyes with a tissue. We were wiping the spots from the wine glasses. He wiped his hand across his forehead. Noun With a wipe, the spill was gone.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Repeat with remaining batter, wiping skillet clean between batches. 3. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 25 Apr. 2024 In some cases, the lack of visibility and monitoring in those edge devices has meant that Sandworm was able to wipe a victim network while holding on to its control of an edge device—then hit the same network again. Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 24 Apr. 2024 Let the butter sit on the wood overnight, then wipe the excess butter off and your boards and utensils are ready to use. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024 The decreases come after Elon Musk’s Tesla did the same thing in the U.S.: the carmaker wiped $2,000 off the price of its Models Y, X, and S cars. Morgan Haefner, Quartz, 21 Apr. 2024 Soon, however, the video cuts to clips of the singer wiping her face to reveal tattoos etched across her skin to her and Malone in a stark white room filled with typewriters. Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2024 The report was enough to push Tesla shares down 3.55% Thursday, wiping about $17 billion from the carmaker’s market capitalization. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 19 Apr. 2024 Your Questions, Answered What is the best cloth for wiping countertops? Jenna Clark, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2024 How to Clean Outdoor Lights Remove the lightbulb from the fixture, thoroughly wipe with a soft, damp cloth and dry with a dry, soft cloth for improved brightness. USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Noun
Blackmagic says that many of the other controls found on the right and left sides of the new panel — like wipe still, cursor, and select — would normally only be found on its larger Mini and Advanced panels. Wes Davis, The Verge, 14 Apr. 2024 The waterproof bag includes food, water, blankets, masks, a hand crank radio, a first aid kit, hand warmers, a multi-tool, emergency gloves (reinforced and strong), wet wipes, glow sticks, tissues, biohazard bags, ponchos, and more. Meredith Woerner, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024 Commercial microwave-safe cleaning wipes are designed specifically for cleaning microwave ovens. Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 26 Mar. 2024 According to testers, each wipe also has plenty of cleaning solution, reducing the number of wipes needed per job. Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024 Passengers onboard the April 5 flight were given masks and disinfectant wipes. Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024 On another note, many reached for makeup removal wipes. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 8 Apr. 2024 Two internal pockets hold wipes and diapers, so parents and caregivers don’t have to rummage through the diaper bag for essentials. Maya Polton, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024 With limited diapers, wipes and creams from volunteers, babies have been kept in dirty diapers for extended periods of time, according to court exhibits, causing severe diaper rash. Emily Baumgaertner, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wipe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English wipen, from Old English wīpian; akin to Old High German wīfan to wind around, Latin vibrare to brandish, and probably to Old Norse veipa to be in movement, Sanskrit vepate it trembles

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of wipe was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near wipe

Cite this Entry

“Wipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wipe. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

wipe

1 of 2 verb
wiped; wiping
1
: to clean or dry by rubbing
wipe dishes
2
: to remove by or as if by rubbing
wipe away tears
3
: to pass or draw over a surface
wiped my hand across my forehead
wiper noun

wipe

2 of 2 noun
1
: an act or instance of wiping
2
: something used for wiping
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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