waxes 1 of 2

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of wax
1
as in greases
to coat (something) with a slippery substance in order to reduce friction waxing a surfboard

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whips
slang to defeat by a large margin I can't believe I bet on a football team that ended up getting waxed 45-0

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waxes

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of wax
1
as in increases
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number the commitment of the young volunteers to the cause seems to wax and wane

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in becomes
to eventually have as a state or quality waxed poetic whenever he wrote to his girlfriend

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 waxes
Verb
Haidt, who is the same age as the writer Bret Easton Ellis, waxes nostalgic for many of the freedoms enjoyed in Ellis’s 2023 novel, The Shards. — Rob Haskell, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026 The account, SamServed, has posts that date back to November of last year, in which Smith waxes poetic about a Copenhagen restaurant called Kebabistan. — Li Goldstein, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Feb. 2026 In his op-ed reflecting on the texts, the secretary takes to task the Westminster establishment that allowed Mandelson’s selection, but also waxes philosophical about sexism, diversity, and inclusion. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026 At the start of the interview, Hartley recounted his famous scene with Hahn, 52, from 2017's A Bad Moms Christmas, in which Hahn's character, Carla, waxes his character's crotch. — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waxes
  1. greases
  2. whips
  3. increases
  4. becomes
  5. oils
  6. dusts
  7. rises
  8. grows
Verb
  • Rectitude is a hindrance in the game of electoral politics, where money greases the slippery pole and glad-hands welcome the winner with inside information.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • View this post on Instagram Access greases the gears of the entire apparatus by creating its own positive feedback loop, like an ouroboros of exclusivity.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of greases
Verb
  • Castro whips her head around and follows him, punching him in the back.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Green whips out his phone with the fluid motion of a digital native and snaps a photo.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of whips
Verb
  • But using spreadsheets or paper and pen is time-consuming and increases the risks of errors.
    — Dana Miranda, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • An optional expansion module, sold separately, increases capacity to 10L for a dinner, game night or larger gathering.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of increases
Verb
  • The Sun enters your 12th House, drawing your attention toward rest, reflection, privacy, unfinished matters, and everything easier to hear when the outside world becomes less demanding.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In reactor physics, criticality is the threshold where a nuclear fission chain reaction becomes entirely self-sustaining.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of becomes
Verb
  • Ramakrishnan typically oils her hair twice a week before washing it.
    — Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Definition of oils
Verb
  • Winter is also a wonderful surprise, when soft snow blankets valley trails and dusts the mountaintops.
    — Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2026
  • Snow sometimes dusts the surrounding slopes, melting by afternoon into damp earth as manzanita and mountain lilac begin to flower.
    — Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of dusts
Verb
  • Pay that rises with credentials, a clear schedule and predictable work can do more for retention than a signing bonus.
    — Alok Chanani, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Step up to the more powerful rear-drive model and output rises to 282 hp, with a larger 77-kWh battery.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of rises
Verb
  • The season finale brings the various strands of the story together elegantly and a bit pitilessly, too, as the body count continues to rise and the struggle for survival grows genuinely desperate.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
  • As awareness grows, expect more aggressive marketing of IPL and prescription drops directly to midlife women, and expect insurers to face pressure to clarify coverage.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of grows

Browse Nearby Words

waxen
waxes
waxing
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Cite this Entry

“Waxes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waxes. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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