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
  • Instead of floating crosses in, Saka either whips his deliveries low near the six-yard box or works a slightly more central position to cut the ball back with a firmer connection.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • The vessel bends, blocks, and whips the wind into complex micro-currents before the air ever hits the sails.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
Definition of whips
Verb
  • Virgo August 23 – September 22 Your energy increases with a small tweak to your routine.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026
  • August 23 – September 22 Your energy increases with a small tweak to your routine.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of increases
Verb
  • In the movie, a local brothel — the Devil’s Playhouse — becomes the target of a TV preacher, forcing the town’s sheriff, who happens to be a frequent customer, to save it.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Still, with the right conditions, getting close to beds without bumping deer becomes much easier.
    — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 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
  • The damage to the sport, in terms of lost revenues and fan disengagement, rises the more games that are missed.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • That stored energy could then be recovered when electricity demand rises.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of rises
Verb
  • Trust grows when transformation is communicated clearly instead of left for others to guess.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Aug. 2026
  • As her creative uncertainty grows, a strange mystery unfolds when a series of provocative and obscene artworks inexplicably disappear.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 26 Aug. 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 2 Sep. 2026.

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