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to wipe away

to wipe away

28 2.0
To remove something from a surface by moving a cloth over it, like tears or dirt
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : quitar
  • Overwhelmed, I wiped away the tears as I listened to the Christmas carols.
  • wipe away the tears

She says as she wipes away an eye booger from her eye.

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Examples

  • The sky was dark when she wiped away her tears and went inside.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • After finishing the painting, he took a cloth to wipe away any smudges on the canvas.

  • Her hand tried to wipe away something from her face and hair.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • "And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes...

  • ..and wipe away tears from our eyes.

  • Watch this and God will wipe away every tear from their eye.

  • So I'm just going to wipe away the powder.

  • Tears were still streaming down his face, and he wiped them away with the back of his hand.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • With her fingers, she wiped away the tears from under her eyes and stroked her hair.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Upstairs, she snuggled next to him, and he wiped away her tears.

    Fiction book (1994)

Synonyms

to sweep
vsto wipe away
227 1.0

To clean a floor or surface by brushing away dirt with a broom

targets small wet or dry marks removed by a cloth, not sweeping
to wipe out
vsto wipe away
189 4.2

Destroy something so nothing is left

is much softer, removing only surface marks or dirt without destruction
to erase
vsto wipe away
144 1.6

Remove marks, writing, or digital files so they are no longer visible

focuses on physical surface removal by gentle wiping rather than deletion
to rinse
vsto wipe away
83 1.0

To wash something with water to remove soap or dirt

is a dry rubbing action meant for quick removal without water
to dust
vsto wipe away
66 1.0

To remove small dry particles from a surface by wiping or brushing

focuses on removing visible marks or dirt rather than loose particles
to scrub
vsto wipe away
55 1.0

To clean something by rubbing it hard with a brush and water

uses soft cloth or tissue wiping rather than forceful abrasion
to mop
vsto wipe away
37 1.0

To clean a floor with a long handle and wet cloth

is for small surface marks and handheld cloth use rather than floor cleaning
to wash away
vsto wipe away
33 2.1

Water or another liquid carries something away

is manual wiping to clear marks, not removal by flowing liquid
to wash off
vsto wipe away
31 1.0

To remove something from a surface by washing with water or soap

is a dry or cloth wiping action rather than washing with water
to strip away
vsto wipe away
27 4.0

Remove an outside layer or covering from something to show what is under it

is a quick physical action to remove surface dirt or tears specifically
to swab
vsto wipe away
22 4.0

To clean a surface or put liquid on it using a cotton stick

is more about soft cloth wiping for removal rather than applying liquid
to wipe off
vsto wipe away
20 1.0

Remove dirt or marks from a surface by rubbing with a cloth

is gentler, focusing on soft cloth rubbing to clear small marks
to sweep away
vsto wipe away
16 3.8

To get rid of something completely so it no longer exists

is gentler and local, removing visible marks rather than total elimination
to clear away
vsto wipe away
10 1.8

To take things away from a place to make it tidy

is about cleaning small marks or dirt on a surface specifically
to rinse off
vsto wipe away
10 1.6

To wash something with water to remove soap or dirt

is immediate cloth rubbing to lift off dirt rather than rinsing with water
to wash out
vsto wipe away
9 2.0

Clean something using water to remove dirt or stains

is lighter and quicker, removing spots by wiping only
to wipe up
vsto wipe away
8 1.8

To clean a surface using a cloth or towel to remove a spill

is similar but often used for light drying or spot cleaning
to clear off
vsto wipe away
8 3.0

Remove things from a surface to make it empty or clean

targets removing dirt or marks from a surface rather than clearing items
to rub off
vsto wipe away
5 3.4

Come off a surface when something moves against it

is an intentional gentle removal action using a cloth or tissue
to mop up
vsto wipe away
5 2.6

To remove liquid or dirt from a floor with a cloth

focuses on small areas removed by hand wiping rather than mopping floors
to scratch out
vsto wipe away
4 4.0

Draw lines through writing so you cannot read it

is gentler, focusing on wiping away marks rather than crossing them out
to remove the stain
vsto wipe away
1 2.9

Get rid of a mark on clothes or other things by cleaning

is used for small surface marks like tears or light dirt rather than stains
to scrub off
vsto wipe away
1 2.5

To remove dirt or stains by rubbing hard with a brush

is gentler, using light wiping instead of hard scrubbing
to skim off
vsto wipe away
1 3.7

Take oil or fat from the top of a liquid using a spoon

is for surface marks on solids rather than skimming from liquids
to rub out
vsto wipe away
1 4.3

Erase a mark by using an eraser or cloth until it disappears

uses softer wiping motions rather than repeated hard rubbing
to rub away
vsto wipe away
1 3.4

Remove a mark by moving a cloth or hand over it many times

is similar but implies single gentle wiping rather than repeated action
to clean (something) off
vsto wipe away
1 1.0

To remove dirt or mud from a surface

is a gentler, targeted action for small marks rather than full cleaning
to unsmudge
vsto wipe away
7.0

Remove marks or stains from a surface so it looks clean

is broader, removing tears, dirt, or marks by gentle rubbing
to sponge off
vsto wipe away
2.6

To rub a surface with a wet sponge to clean it

relies on dry or light cloth wiping rather than wet sponging
to sponge out
vsto wipe away
4.7

To remove liquid from a surface by wiping it with a cloth

focuses more on wiping away marks or dirt than soaking liquids
to whisk off
vsto wipe away
4.2

To remove dust or crumbs quickly with a light movement

is slower and gentler, used for careful removal rather than quick brushing

Antonyms

263 1.3

Put a substance onto a surface to cover it

How Thorough

to scour
15 4.8
to scrub off
1 2.5
to wipe away
28 2.0
to rub away
1 3.4
to dab
11 2.8

Surface Forms

wipe away infinitive
wiped away past
wiped away past participle
wiping away present participle
wipes away third person singular

Morphology

wipe + away

The meaning 'to remove by wiping' is directly and predictably built from 'wipe' (to rub away dirt or moisture) plus 'away' (indicating removal or disappearance). This verb + particle composition follows a common and cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The phrasal verb wipe away comes from the simple picture of using a cloth to rub something off and push it away. When you wipe and move it away, you clear dirt, marks, or tears, so the phrase means 'to remove' or 'get rid of' something.