# bleach

/ˈbɫitʃ/ (US) · /blˈiːtʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bleach
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. cleaning chemical

noun · CEFR B1

a strong liquid chemical used for cleaning, killing germs, or making clothes white.

For teachers: a chemical solution, often containing sodium hypochlorite, used for disinfection or the removal of pigment from textiles and surfaces.

- You should use a little bleach to get the stains out of those white towels.
- The janitor used a diluted solution of bleach to ensure the laboratory surfaces were thoroughly disinfected after the experiment.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; countable when referring to specific brands or types.

### 2. to whiten or lighten

verb · CEFR B1

to make something whiter or lighter using chemicals or by leaving it in the sun.

For teachers: to remove color from a substrate, such as fabric or hair, through chemical treatment or exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

- The sun will bleach the wood of the deck over time if you don't paint it.
- She decided to bleach her hair before applying the bright blue dye to ensure the color appeared as vivid as possible.

Usage: Can be used transitively with an object or intransitively to describe a natural process.

### 3. coral/biology

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

when coral turns white because the water is too warm or the environment is unhealthy.

For teachers: to lose color due to the expulsion of symbiotic algae, typically as a stress response to increased water temperatures.

- Rising ocean temperatures cause the coral reefs to bleach and eventually die.
- Marine biologists observed that the reef began to bleach rapidly following the unprecedented heatwave in the Pacific.

Usage: Usually used in the context of marine biology and environmental science.

### 4. to remove meaning

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to take away the feeling, power, or meaning from something.

For teachers: to divest something of its original meaning, character, or emotional intensity.

- The politician's speech was so repetitive that it seemed to bleach the words of all meaning.
- Years of bureaucratic repetition had served to bleach the original revolutionary fervor from the party's manifesto.

## Examples

- Add some bleach to the washing machine.
- She used a small amount of bleach to remove the red wine stain from her white shirt.
- The hospital protocol requires staff to dilute the industrial bleach before mopping the floors to ensure patient safety without damaging the surface finish.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.