There are several synonyms for the word "make white," including bleach, whiten, lighten, brighten, and blanch. Bleach is a strong chemical that removes color and can be used to make fabrics and surfaces appear white. Whiten and lighten both refer to making something brighter or lighter in color. Brighten is often used to describe the effect of lightening something, such as teeth or a complexion. Blanch means to quickly drop something into boiling water and then remove it, making it whiter or softer. These words are helpful when describing the process of removing color or lightening an object or surface.