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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cleanse
An effective cognitive banking business model relies on a foundation of customer data that is cleansed, categorized and enriched to be able to derive intelligence from the data.
—
Jody Bhagat, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Tourists pouring themselves a bath, cleansing themselves of their 12-hour flight.
—Ariel Saramandi, The Dial, 29 July 2025
Here are Kaufman's picks for the best, liver-friendly foods:
Blueberries
Kaufman recommends including a variety of foods filled with antioxidants into your diet to help cleanse the liver and decrease toxins.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 21 July 2025
Even for the stench-conscious, an arsenal of cleansing products and tools isn’t necessary.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Jody Bhagat, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Tourists pouring themselves a bath, cleansing themselves of their 12-hour flight.
—Ariel Saramandi, The Dial, 29 July 2025
Here are Kaufman's picks for the best, liver-friendly foods:
Blueberries
Kaufman recommends including a variety of foods filled with antioxidants into your diet to help cleanse the liver and decrease toxins.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 21 July 2025
Even for the stench-conscious, an arsenal of cleansing products and tools isn’t necessary.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
-
Bulimia nervosa is a cyclical condition in which someone binges and then compensates with purging behavior such as vomiting or taking laxatives, according to National Eating Disorders Association.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
30 July 2025
-
But Jones was one of the first players new Raiders coach Pete Carroll purged right before OTAs opened, releasing the 27-year-old.—
Omar Kelly
July 28,
Miami Herald,
28 July 2025
Verb
-
Overloading the machine means the washer can't clean your clothes properly, and the dryer won't be able to generate air flow to dry clothes evenly.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Look for laptop stands made of alloys that are easy to clean and resist corrosion and pitting.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share