exfoliate

verb

(ˌ)eks-ˈfō-lē-ˌāt How to pronounce exfoliate (audio)
Definition of exfoliatenext
as in to shed
to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside a soap that promises to help me exfoliate all that dry, flaky skin I've apparently been carrying around

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exfoliate More than 100,000 shoppers purchased these exfoliating pads last month, and they're frequently repurchased, too. — Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 27 June 2026 Shoppers dealing with keratosis pilaris, rough patches or dullness tend to gravitate toward exfoliating formulas with retinol or acids like lactic and glycolic. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026 After cleansing, use Clinique’s Clarifying Lotion to gently exfoliate, which comes in five varieties for skin types from sensitive to very dry, oily, and everything in between. — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 26 June 2026 The formula combines an acne-fighting trio of AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs to exfoliate away dead skin cells and unclog pores, while tea tree leaf water further targets breakouts, and calamine keeps excess oil in check. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for exfoliate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exfoliate
shed
Verb
  • Three extraordinary new books, published this year, shed light on the brilliance and complexity of Morrison’s life and work, and place her as an American eminence, a visionary who saw fiction as a means through which to recast her country’s story.
    — Leigh Haber, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • The bipartisan Colorado Polling Institute released a survey that sheds some more light on Melat Kiros win.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Definition of shed

Browse Nearby Words

exes
exfoliate
exfoliated
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Cite this Entry

“Exfoliate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exfoliate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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