English Reference

Word

bleaching

Phoneticsbleach·ing

US/ˈbɫitʃɪŋ/

UK/blˈiːtʃɪŋ/

Definition

n. the process of making something white or much lighter by using chemicals or strong sunlight.

n. the process of removing colour from a substance or surface through chemical treatment or exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Examples

“The sun caused the bleaching of the old curtains.”

“Rising ocean temperatures have led to widespread coral bleaching, leaving the reefs white and vulnerable to disease.”

“Industrial bleaching of wood pulp is a critical step in paper manufacturing, though modern methods aim to reduce the environmental impact of the chemicals used.”

Examples

simple

“The sun caused the bleaching of the old curtains.”

contextual

“Rising ocean temperatures have led to widespread coral bleaching, leaving the reefs white and vulnerable to disease.”

complex

“Industrial bleaching of wood pulp is a critical step in paper manufacturing, though modern methods aim to reduce the environmental impact of the chemicals used.”

Usage

Often used as a gerund to describe the chemical process or the environmental phenomenon in coral reefs.

Real-World Examples

“Now, with more frequent Global Coral Bleaching Events, they are occurring every five to six years, reducing the time reefs have to recover.”
Phys.org · 1 Sept 2026
“Sunlight also alters the color of the smoke through chemical bleaching of aerosols.”
The Conversation · 25 Aug 2026

Domain

Linguistics

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/bleaching

English Reference