grooming
Americannoun
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the care of a body and its physical appearance, such as the personal hygiene routine of brushing one’s teeth or combing one’s hair, or the washing, brushing, etc., of a dog or horse.
Grooming your dogs at home is less expensive than taking them to the groomer, if you can stand the wet dog smell and the hair that ends up everywhere.
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the act or result of preparing a trail for a specific use, such as skiing, biking, or hiking.
Donation boxes have been posted at each trail to cover their grooming and other maintenance costs.
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the act or process of preparing someone to fill a position or role or to undertake an activity.
The grooming of new personnel to handle additional responsibilities requires team leaders who will act as mentors and share constructive feedback.
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an act or instance of engaging in behaviors or practices intended to gradually condition or emotionally manipulate a victim over time, as through friendship, gifts, flattery, etc., in order to entrap the person in a sexually abusive or predatory relationship.
The ongoing targeting and grooming of minors online shows that our safety protocols for children on the internet are insufficient.
Etymology
Origin of grooming
First recorded in 1810–20 grooming for def. 1 and in 1985–90 grooming for def. 4; groom ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In some cases, up to five cone ants would gather and begin grooming.
From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026
It creates a long chain of spending on food, grooming, healthcare, apparel, toys, boarding, and services.
From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026
Though their obsessions with moisturizers and eyebrow grooming seem pretty girlie to someone of my generation, looksmaxxing is rooted in objectification.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
Her story comes as the terms of reference for the statutory independent inquiry into grooming gangs are published.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
If manners maketh man, then manner and grooming maketh poodle.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
