Definition

The act of giving false or misleading information about how environmentally friendly a company or product is, often to improve its public image.

Example

Many companies engage in greenwash to attract environmentally conscious consumers.

Conversation

Have you heard about that company trying to greenwash their reputation?

Yeah, it's frustrating how they pretend to care about the environment.

Exactly! It's like they think we won't notice the truth behind their greenwash efforts.

Right? Real change is what we need, not just a marketing gimmick.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Greenwash is formed from "green" (referring to environmentalism or eco-friendliness) and "wash" (from Old English "wascian", meaning to cleanse or wash). The term describes the act of misleadingly promoting an organization's environmental efforts to appear more eco-friendly than they actually are.

Memory Tip

Think of 'green' representing eco-friendliness and 'wash' meaning to cleanse — together, greenwash means to falsely cleanse one's image regarding environmental practices.

Visually Confused Words