1
as in to purge
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially
in an elaborate ritual the priestess cleansed the gathering of supplicants
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to clean
to remove the dirt from
cleanse the wound with soap and water before applying the bandage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of cleanse
In a small, domed stone or clay structure, heated volcanic rocks, medicinal herbs, and water create steam, which is believed to cleanse toxins, improve circulation, and provide a spiritual connection to nature.
—
Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
Nighttime routines used to consist of cleansing your face, putting on a basic retinol, and finishing with a generous slathering of Pond's Cream.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
And the way to make amends, to get better, to rid ourselves of those burdens of indiscretion is to suffer a little, to cleanse a lot, to reflect more than anything especially under the literal heat of adverse conditions.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2026
Shani Darden's Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning Triple Acid Signature Peel delivers almost immediate radiance, thanks to a two-step process that deeply resurfaces and cleanses skin.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 12 Mar. 2026
Nighttime routines used to consist of cleansing your face, putting on a basic retinol, and finishing with a generous slathering of Pond's Cream.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
And the way to make amends, to get better, to rid ourselves of those burdens of indiscretion is to suffer a little, to cleanse a lot, to reflect more than anything especially under the literal heat of adverse conditions.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2026
Shani Darden's Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning Triple Acid Signature Peel delivers almost immediate radiance, thanks to a two-step process that deeply resurfaces and cleanses skin.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
-
Of the 44 officers selected to join the Communist Party’s top-leadership council, 40 have been purged or gone missing since mid-2023, Neil Thomas, a fellow at the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, told me.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
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Trump has since purged both commissions of critics and appointed loyalists to take their places.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For 26 years, Wilson worked in his own carpet-cleaning business, available to customers 24/7.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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Pairs that make the cut are cleaned from the sole upward, disinfected inside and, in some cases, whitened under UV light before being put back into circulation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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