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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cleanse
Serums are best applied directly after cleansing your skin but before moisturizing it (ideally in the morning, since vitamin C can help protect against free radicals throughout the day).
—
Kristin Canning, SELF, 19 June 2025
The safer, cleaner version of burning actual sage in your home, this Malin + Goetz sage home spray is a perfect pick to help cleanse a space and bring freshness and life to any room.
—Daley Quinn, Glamour, 3 July 2025
This includes 28 nail strips in various sizes, as well as a prep pad to cleanse your nails before application, a small nail file, and a wooden stick.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 30 June 2025
Members of the Miccosukee and Seminole Indian tribes beat drums and led ceremonies with sage to cleanse the area while others carried signs, chanted and wore anti-ICE T-shirts.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Kristin Canning, SELF, 19 June 2025
The safer, cleaner version of burning actual sage in your home, this Malin + Goetz sage home spray is a perfect pick to help cleanse a space and bring freshness and life to any room.
—Daley Quinn, Glamour, 3 July 2025
This includes 28 nail strips in various sizes, as well as a prep pad to cleanse your nails before application, a small nail file, and a wooden stick.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 30 June 2025
Members of the Miccosukee and Seminole Indian tribes beat drums and led ceremonies with sage to cleanse the area while others carried signs, chanted and wore anti-ICE T-shirts.
—Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
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During a May 19 town hall meeting with NIH staff members, Jay Bhattacharya, the institute’s new director, equivocated when asked about funding cuts for research into improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities — cuts made under the guise of purging DEI from the government.—
Rachana Pradhan,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
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All 12 seasons and 264 episodes of MSW were purged from Peacock this morning, despite the fact that the series is owned and distributed by Universal Television, sibling studio to the streamer.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Instead, cleaning stainless steel requires a little extra TLC and a strategy designed specifically for this material.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
15 July 2025
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Three varieties rotate in and out, from briny Alaskan Gems to clean and crisp Mer Bleues to the fresh and minerally Malpeque oysters from Prince Edward Island.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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