- comparative of clean.
cleaner
Americannoun
-
cleaners
plural
-
a person who cleans, especially one whose regular occupation is cleaning offices, buildings, equipment, etc.
-
an apparatus or machine for cleaning, as a vacuum cleaner.
-
a preparation for use in cleaning, as a detergent or chemical bleach.
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the owner or operator of a dry-cleaning establishment.
The cleaner said he couldn't get the spot off my coat.
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Usually cleaners. a dry-cleaning establishment.
My suit is at the cleaners.
idioms
noun
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a person, device, chemical agent, etc, that removes dirt, as from clothes or carpets
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(usually plural) a shop, etc that provides a dry-cleaning service
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informal to rob or defraud a person of all of his money
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"You can get everything you need...it is not confusing. It has got a cleaner aesthetic to it as well."
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
To investigate the possibility of pair density waves, Madhavan's team first needed much cleaner samples of uranium ditelluride.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
"Worsened fiscal positions delay the retirement or decarbonisation of coal plants, and there is less financial support for cleaner infrastructure such as solar and wind," she said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
“The vacuum cleaner that performs like a jet engine,” Allemann said, “and sells at five times the category price.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
“A whole lot cleaner than shaking dirt off fruit.”
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
While it may feel like these sneakers inspired by vacuum cleaners are now everywhere, the truth is they are nowhere close.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
Scented cleaners release terpenes when fragrance compounds evaporate from sprayed droplets or cleaned surfaces.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026
To cover the cost, she used money set aside for babysitters, cleaners and the occasional home organizer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Dry cleaners could also be owners or managers who may be using AI for business decisions, he added.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
Against the opposite wall was a glass-fronted cabinet, and inside this were the dolls, dozens of very small dolls, all female, and made of wool-covered wire, like pipe cleaners, with embroidered-on faces.
From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill
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.
