launder

1 of 2

verb

laun·​der ˈlȯn-dər 

ˈlän-

laundered; laundering ˈlȯn-d(ə-)riŋ 

ˈlän-

transitive verb

1

: to wash (something, such as clothing) in water

2

: to make ready for use by washing and ironing

a freshly laundered shirt

3

: to transfer (illegally obtained money or investments) through an outside party to conceal the true source

4

: sanitize sense 2

laundered language

intransitive verb

: to wash or wash and iron clothing or household linens

launderer

ˈlȯn-dər-ər 

ˈlän-

noun

launder

2 of 2

noun

: trough

especially : a box conduit conveying particulate material suspended in water in ore dressing

Synonyms

Verb

• bowdlerize
• censor
• clean (up)
• expurgate
• red-pencil

Examples of launder in a Sentence

Verb

He used a phony business to launder money from drug dealing.

had to launder the quarterback's off-the-cuff's remarks before they could be quoted in the newspaper

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

If convicted, each faces up to five years for the first three initial charges, while the money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, the Justice Department said. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 5 Apr. 2025

Paez is also accused of being a recruiter for Alberto David Benguiat Jimenez’s money laundering organization and being involved in laundering money on behalf of the Sinaloa cartel. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025

Noun

More moon missions in months ahead This week's Falcon 9 launch to the moon will be followed, in relatively short order, by that of another lunar launder, this time from the only private company to have successfully landed on the lunar surface to date. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 12 Jan. 2025

This is also a great time to ask their preferences on a midweek linen restock or launder. —Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English launder, noun

Noun

Middle English, launderer, from Anglo-French lavandere, from Medieval Latin lavandarius, from Latin lavandus, gerundive of lavare to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

Verb

1664, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1667, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for launder

• condor
• fonder
• mandir
• maunder
• ponder
• squander
• wander
• yonder
• responder
• transponder

Kids Definition

launder

verb

laun·​der

ˈlȯn-dər,

ˈlän-

laundered; laundering

-d(ə-)riŋ

1

: to wash or wash and iron clothing or household linens

2

: to undergo washing and ironing

launderer

-dər-ər

noun

Legal Definition

launder

transitive verb

laun·​der

: to transfer (money or instruments deriving from illegal activity) so as to conceal the true nature and source

launder money through an offshore account