Showing results for "cleaner"

• comparative of clean.

cleaner

American  

[klee-ner] / ˈkli nər /

noun

• cleaners
  plural

1. a person who cleans, especially one whose regular occupation is cleaning offices, buildings, equipment, etc.

2. an apparatus or machine for cleaning, as a vacuum cleaner.

3. a preparation for use in cleaning, as a detergent or chemical bleach.

4. the owner or operator of a dry-cleaning establishment.

   The cleaner said he couldn't get the spot off my coat.

5. Usually cleaners. a dry-cleaning establishment.

   My suit is at the cleaners.

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idioms

1. take to the cleaners, to cause to lose all or a great deal of one's money or personal property, as through gambling or a bad investment.

   He got taken to the cleaners in the poker game last night.

cleaner British  

/ ˈkliːnə /

noun

1. a person, device, chemical agent, etc, that removes dirt, as from clothes or carpets

2. (usually plural) a shop, etc that provides a dry-cleaning service

3. informal to rob or defraud a person of all of his money

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• precleaner
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cleaners
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cleaner

First recorded in 1425–75, cleaner is from the late Middle English word clener. See clean, -er ¹

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Explanation

A cleaner is either a person whose job involves tidying and disinfecting, or it's a substance used to do that work, like soap. If the cleaner runs out of window cleaner, they might try using vinegar. Professional cleaners might work in people's homes, in which case you might call them housekeepers, or they might work in office buildings, on work sites, or really anywhere that needs to be cleaned. Some cleaners (like dry cleaners) clean clothing and other textiles. Being a cleaner is hard work — and if you've ever watched workers suspended on scaffolding using big squeegees to clean skyscraper windows, you know that it can be thrilling work, too.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cleaner cleaners

Those still being treated are three other relatives of the first victim, three health workers and a hospital cleaner.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

Compute futures would offer a cleaner way to bet on or against the AI boom by focusing on the rental prices companies would need to pay for the technology.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Teachers scooped up the stragglers and ushered them into the shelter's entrance, while the cleaner scanned the playground, muttering as she checked that no one had been left behind.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

For all of its capabilities, artificial intelligence has yet to save us from tidying up before the cleaner comes.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

I go to the side and knock on the door the street cleaner described.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Dainville said that two of the wounded in his town -- cleaners attending a school Friday morning when the shooter got out of his car to open fire -- were of African origin.

From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026

In fact, I took extra precautions in anticipation of having robot cleaners in my apartment.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026

While it may feel like these sneakers inspired by vacuum cleaners are now everywhere, the truth is they are nowhere close.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026

Research led by Brandon Boor at Purdue University found that fragrance compounds released by both conventional cleaners and botanical essential oil-based products can rapidly react indoors and generate nanoparticles.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

In the beginning, I supervised a group of students who worked as window cleaners during our manual work time in the afternoon, and led them to different buildings each day.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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Related Words

• cleanser
• disinfectant
• soap

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