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
Now, head to your door with the jar of water and begin cleansing from the bottom left corner, moving upward in a clockwise direction.
—
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Mix a pea sized amount with holi (water) and pat all over the face, lips neck and chest after cleansing.
—Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
After cleansing, dousing her skin with vitamin C, and patting on a smidge of eye cream, the Drop star prepares to finish her skin-care regimen with Paula’s Choice Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2025
Rigorous peer review is the guard rail by which error and sometimes bad science are cleansed from the system in favor of fact and truth.
—Primary Care Physicians, Hartford Courant, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 22 Mar. 2025
Mix a pea sized amount with holi (water) and pat all over the face, lips neck and chest after cleansing.
—Angela Lei, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
After cleansing, dousing her skin with vitamin C, and patting on a smidge of eye cream, the Drop star prepares to finish her skin-care regimen with Paula’s Choice Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30.
—Jenny Berg, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2025
Rigorous peer review is the guard rail by which error and sometimes bad science are cleansed from the system in favor of fact and truth.
—Primary Care Physicians, Hartford Courant, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
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Lynch also expressed gratitude for so many players showing up, a month after the 49ers purged their roster with nearly 20 players landing on teams elsewhere.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
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Trump has made colleges and universities a prime target of his second administration, going after their federal funding, seeking to purge diversity programs and seeking to deport an unknown number of international students.—
Lexi Lonas Cochran,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Outdoor water containers that should be cleaned include bird baths and pet dishes.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2025
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These stylish oven mitts are easy to clean and look great in any kitchen.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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