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

If rolled out on bus stops across the city, the company hopes that rooftop plants could help reduce the temperature, purify the air around the bus stop and curb the risk of flash floods by absorbing stormwater. — Stephanie Bailey, CNN, "Green roofs are sprouting up on buses," 10 June 2019 The unicorn has long been a fierce symbol of Scotland, known as a powerful and mysterious creature—lured forth only by a maiden—whose horn could purify water. — James Hookway, WSJ, "Unicorn, Comeback Symbol of Scottish Independence, Is a Hit With Little Girls," 4 June 2019 But now a group of researchers from Columbia University have developed a process designed to purify industrial hypersaline brines. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "We Might Finally Be Able to Safely Drink Salt Water," 8 May 2019 Day two began with the Haldi ceremony, in which the bride and groom are covered with a turmeric paste by family and friends — the yellow hue of the spice is believed to purify the souls of the bride and groom-to-be. — Tamara Abraham, Harper's BAZAAR, "Influencer Diipa Khosla Wore 9 Different Looks for Her 4-Day Indian Wedding," 8 Feb. 2019 But in the real world—in your home, say, or in your office space—the notion that incorporating a few plants can purify your air doesn’t have much hard science to back it up. — Markham Heid, Time, "You Asked: Can Indoor Plants Really Purify the Air?," 17 Jan. 2018 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

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.