purify

verb

pu·ri·fy | \ ˈpyu̇r-ə-ˌfī

purified; purifying

Definition of purify

transitive verb

: to make pure: such as

a : to clear from material defilement or imperfection

b : to free from guilt or moral or ceremonial blemish

c : to free from undesirable elements

intransitive verb

: to grow or become pure or clean

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Examples of purify in a Sentence

We purified the water by boiling it. You can purify the air with a filtration system. a bottle of purified water She believed she could purify herself through constant prayer.

Recent Examples on the Web

The fact that Gandhi had three such bedfellows (all after Kasturba’s death) may incline us to think that this really was a self-purifying therapy rather than an infatuation with a particular girl. — Ferdinand Mount, WSJ, "‘Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World’ Review: The Prophet as Politician," 1 Nov. 2018 As an alternative, water may be purified by bringing it to a rapid boil for 3 to 5 minutes. — sandiegouniontribune.com, "Here's what you should buy for your home should disaster strike," 8 July 2018 Aside from adding life to a room, plants absorb toxins, purify the air, and can actually reduce noise levels. — Maya Mcdowell, House Beautiful, "8 Ways to Feel Happier at Home When Winter’s Bringing You Down," 15 Feb. 2019 Forest management keep our trees healthy, which in turn helps purify the air and waterways. — Michigan Wildlife Council, Detroit Free Press, "Seeing the forest for the trees: Healthy forests bring abundant wildlife," 7 Mar. 2018 Look for cotton-wicked vegetable (often soy-based) or beeswax candles; the latter may even neutralize airborne allergens and may help purify the air. — Gina Tomaine, Good Housekeeping, "13 Best Natural Candles You'll Actually Be Proud To Gift This Year," 10 Nov. 2017 Neste’s engineers pretreat and purify waste animal fat before adding hydrogen. — Sarah Kent, WSJ, "The Key to Big Profits in Clean Energy: Animal Fats," 14 Aug. 2018 Greenery can absorb toxins, purify the air, and even reduce noise levels. — Danielle Tullo, House Beautiful, "Give Your Space A Plant-Over," 8 Jan. 2019 The Department of Health in Florida, a state often hit by tropical storms and hurricanes, offered tips to purify contaminated water, such as boiling it, among other methods. — Madeline Farber, Fox News, "Hurricane Florence could flood manure pits, contaminating drinking water, experts warn," 13 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'purify.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.