ironing
B1Neutral to informal in the context of domestic chores.
Definition
Meaning
The process of using a heated appliance (an iron) to remove creases from fabric, especially laundry.
By extension, the task or chore of pressing clothes; also, the items of laundry that require or have undergone this process (e.g., 'a pile of ironing').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an uncountable noun referring to the activity or the collective items. Can be used in compound nouns (ironing board, ironing basket).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Meaning is identical. 'To do the ironing' is standard in both. Slight preference in US for 'press clothes' in more formal/commercial contexts (e.g., dry cleaners), but 'ironing' remains dominant for the domestic task.
Connotations
Strongly associated with domestic labour, household chores, and routine maintenance.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties for the core domestic meaning.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
do [the] ironinghave [some] ironing [to do]finish [the] ironingVocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Iron out the wrinkles (metaphorical: to resolve minor problems)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in retail (e.g., selling irons) or dry-cleaning services.
Academic
Very rare; could appear in historical/ sociological studies of domestic labour.
Everyday
Very high frequency in the context of household tasks and laundry.
Technical
In textiles or appliance manufacturing.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She was ironing her shirts while watching television.
- I need to iron these trousers before the meeting.
American English
- He's ironing his uniform for tomorrow.
- Can you iron this tablecloth for the dinner party?
adjective
British English
- She set up the ironing board in the kitchen.
- He filled the ironing basket with clean laundry.
American English
- We need a new ironing board cover.
- She sorted clothes into ironing piles.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I do the ironing on Sundays.
- This is my ironing board.
- I have a huge pile of ironing to get through this evening.
- She hates ironing shirts.
- He offered to help with the ironing to share the domestic load.
- Investing in a steam generator iron made the weekly ironing much quicker.
- The sociological study examined the gendered distribution of tasks like ironing and childcare.
- She found the monotony of ironing oddly meditative.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
IRONing – think of the heavy metal 'iron' being used to press clothes flat.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A SERIES OF CHORES ('The never-ending ironing'). SMOOTHING IS IMPROVING ('Iron out difficulties').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'утюг' (the appliance). 'Ironing' is the activity/process ('глажка').
Common Mistakes
- Using as a countable noun (*'I have three ironings to do').
- Confusing 'ironing' (noun) with 'to iron' (verb).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'ironing' used correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, no. It's an uncountable noun referring to the activity or the collective items (e.g., 'the ironing'). You don't say 'three ironings'.
In everyday use, they are synonyms for the activity. In tailoring/sewing, 'pressing' is a more specific technique using an iron without sliding it.
Yes, informally. 'A pile of ironing' means a pile of clothes that need to be ironed or have just been ironed.
'To do the ironing' is the most common (e.g., 'I'll do the ironing later'). 'To iron' is the related verb (e.g., 'I'll iron these later').
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