Word
laundering
Phoneticslaun·der·ing
US/ˈɫɔndɝɪŋ/
UK/lˈɔːndəɹɪŋ/
Definitions
01cleaning clothes
n. the act of washing and ironing clothes or linens.
n. the process or occupation of washing and pressing clothes and linens. Uncountable in this general sense.
“The hotel offers a professional laundering service for all guests.”
“Traditional laundering techniques were replaced by industrial steam presses during the mid-twentieth century to increase efficiency in the hospitality sector.”
02illegal money processing
n. the illegal process of hiding where money came from to make it look legal.
n. the concealment of the origins of illegally obtained money, typically by means of transfers involving foreign banks or legitimate businesses.
“The police investigated the restaurant for its involvement in laundering stolen funds.”
“The regulatory agency introduced stricter reporting requirements to prevent the laundering of proceeds from international cybercrime syndicates.”
Technical
Usage
Often appears in the compound 'money laundering', though 'laundering' alone is used in legal contexts.
Teaching tip
While the physical sense is B2, the financial sense is a C1 term frequently found in news and legal reports.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The investigation, known as Operation Hidden Carbon , exposed an alleged money laundering system tied to Brazil’s most powerful criminal organization, First Capital Command, or PCC.” “The Spanish Cabinet approved the draft bill on comprehensive measures for the prevention of money laundering at its meeting on July 28th 2026.” Scan code
englishreference.com/q/laundering