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

Etymology

Origin of cleaner

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

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

It’s one of the busiest freight corridors in the United States, and it’s getting cleaner.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

She loves her job as an extreme cleaner, but since starting to document her cleaning adventures online, she has found it fascinating how interested other people are in what she does.

From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026

One is the resurgence of whale populations thanks to government action including the Endangered Species Act, as well as a cleaner habitat supported by air and water protections.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

Peeling produces a slightly cleaner finished syrup, but because the mixture will eventually be strained, leaving the skins on works perfectly well.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

As the vacuum cleaner roared back and forth across the carpet, Matt looked so worried that Ralph began to worry too.

From "Ralph S. Mouse" by Beverly Cleary

By the time Dyson married, had children, and became obsessed with improving the suction of vacuum cleaners in his early 30s, he had tired of having a boss.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Dry cleaners could also be owners or managers who may be using AI for business decisions, he added.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

Robots like automated industrial equipment and smart vacuum cleaners are already widely used in factories, warehouses and homes.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

"The idea of tiny robotic cleaners may sound futuristic, but we are already demonstrating the physical principles that make it possible."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026

Hooks eagerly told investigators that he had driven by Jackson Cleaners near the time of the crime and had seen a truck tear away from the cleaners with two men inside.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Related Words

• cleanser
• disinfectant
• soap