Meaning & use
rewashed
Last updated
“rewashed” is a form of “rewash”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbtransitive
Washed a second time, usually because it was still dirty or not fresh enough.
Grammar: Takes an object: she rewashed the shirt. It is the past form of rewash.
Patterns
- rewash something
- rewashed by hand
- had to be rewashed
The glass still had spots, so I rewashed it.
He rewashed the car after the rain left muddy streaks.
These towels smell musty; they need to be rewashed.
Word forms
| base form | rewash |
|---|---|
| third person singular | rewashes |
| present participle | rewashing |
| past tense | rewashed |
| past participle | rewashed |
Common combinations
- rewashed by hand
- The delicate blouse was rewashed by hand to avoid damage.
- need to be rewashed
- Those plates need to be rewashed before we set the table.
- rewashed the dishes
- She rewashed the dishes because they felt greasy.
- freshly rewashed
- The freshly rewashed sheets smelled clean again.
Synonyms and how they differ
- recleaned
- More general; it can mean cleaned again by any method, not only with water.
- rinsed again
- Suggests a quick second rinse rather than a full wash.
Word family
Commonly confused: rewashed or washed? rewashed or unwashed?
rewashed vs washed
Washed means cleaned once; rewashed means cleaned a second time.
rewashed vs unwashed
Unwashed means not washed at all, the opposite idea.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
Rewashed is the past form and takes an object, so 'She rewashed the cup because it still had coffee stains' is correct. Option B is illogical, option C mixes present tense with yesterday, and option D uses a passive-like form that does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rewashed”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.