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
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
The retrograde season is a transformative time, allowing for processing and learning from past mistakes to cleanse for the future.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 26 Feb. 2026
Whereas questions on doping were encouraged a decade ago, as the sport sought to cleanse its image, enquiries on the topic are much more likely to be rebuffed and snarled at.
—Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
The rain continues, cleansing the city of its grime.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Annie Blackman, Allure, 28 Feb. 2026
The retrograde season is a transformative time, allowing for processing and learning from past mistakes to cleanse for the future.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 26 Feb. 2026
Whereas questions on doping were encouraged a decade ago, as the sport sought to cleanse its image, enquiries on the topic are much more likely to be rebuffed and snarled at.
—Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
The rain continues, cleansing the city of its grime.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
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Order 1 dissolved the ruling Baath Party and removed all senior party members from their government positions, purging the administrative class that ran its ministries, hospitals and schools.—
Farah N. Jan,
The Conversation,
10 Mar. 2026
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The upper stage, known as the interim cryogenic propulsion stage and its single RL-10 engine, wasn’t able to get the helium gas, used to purge the stage of cryogenic fuel and maintain proper pressure, to flow into it.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Cream of Tartar & Lemon Juice Paste Like baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, cream of tartar and lemon shockingly has cleaning and brightening properties that are effective for lifting dirt and stains off grout lines.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
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Children under 5 years old are commonly exposed to cleaning products, makeup, soaps, medications, vitamins and even plants.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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