Definition

Phrasal Verb: 1. To remove or carry off by the action of water or another liquid: To clean or eliminate something by washing, causing it to disappear or be carried away. 2. To eliminate or obliterate completely: To cause something to disappear or be removed, often in a figurative sense.

Usage Examples

• The heavy rains washed away the topsoil from the field.
• Please wash away the soap suds from the car.
• The floodwaters washed away several small bridges.
• She tried to wash away the memory of the accident. (figurative)
• The new evidence washed away all doubts about his innocence. (figurative)

Advanced Usage

• To be washed away: Used in the passive voice to describe something that has been removed or destroyed by water.
  • The coastal village was washed away by the tsunami.
• Figurative use often relates to removing feelings, doubts, or differences.
  • Their heartfelt apology washed away my anger.

Variants and Related Words

• Wash out (phrasal verb): Often used similarly to mean removing a stain or, literally, to be eroded by water (e.g., ).
• Erode (verb): To gradually wear away, typically by water, wind, or ice.
• Obliterate (verb): To destroy completely; wipe out.

Synonyms

• Eradicate
• Remove
• Eliminate
• Erode
• Flush away

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Wash out: To remove a stain; to cause an event to be canceled due to rain.
  • I can't wash out this ink stain.
  • The baseball game was washed out.
• Wash off: To clean something from a surface by washing.
  • He washed off the mud from his boots.

Related Idioms

• A clean slate: A fresh start, as if past errors have been washed away.
  • The pardon gave him a clean slate.
• Water under the bridge: Past events that are over and no longer important, as if carried away by flowing water.
  • Our old argument is just water under the bridge now.

Verb

1. remove by the application of water or other liquid and soap or some other cleaning agent
   • he washed the dirt from his coat
   • The nurse washed away the blood
   • Can you wash away the spots on the windows?
   • he managed to wash out the stains
2. eliminate
   • wash away all the differences