cleanse

1 to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially in an elaborate ritual the priestess cleansed the gathering of supplicants Synonyms purify, purge, sanctifyRelated Words amend, improve, refine; heal, regenerate, restore; elevate, ennoble, uplift; absolve, acquit, clear, exonerate, vindicateNear Antonyms corrupt, debase, debauch, defile, degrade, demean, deprave, pervert, stain, warp; poison, profane, prostitute; sully, tarnish

2 to remove the dirt from cleanse the wound with soap and water before applying the bandage Synonyms clean, deterge, GI, turn outRelated Words decontaminate, purge, purify; disinfect, sanitize; brush, comb, dry-clean, dust, launder, mop, muck (out), rinse, scour, scrub, shampoo, sponge, swab, sweep, vacuum, wash, wipe; brighten, deodorize, freshen, spruce (up), sweeten; pick up, straighten (up), tidy, unclutterNear Antonyms begrime, muddy; defile, pollute, taint; blacken, discolorAntonyms besmirch, dirty, foul, soil, spot, stain, sully