as in purification
the act or fact of freeing from sin or moral guilt
underwent a cleansing before he could enter the temple's most sacred chamber
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in purifying
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1
as in purging
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially
in an elaborate ritual the priestess cleansed the gathering of supplicants
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cleaning
to remove the dirt from
cleanse the wound with soap and water before applying the bandage
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cleansing
Tory Johnson, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Over-cleansing is one of the most common beginner mistakes and can leave skin irritated.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026
Facial Cleansing Brushes A gentle facial cleansing brush can remove makeup and impurities more effectively than hands alone.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Evening adds the option of a treatment product between cleansing and moisturizing.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
For Christians, this ultimate sacrifice and defeat of death form the entire basis of the faith — a cleansing of iniquity and sin.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
This is probably the most extreme one-year, top-to-bottom cleansing that the Dolphins have undergone in decades.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
Both formulas rely on a blend of surfactants—sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and cocamidopropyl betaine—as the main cleansing agents, creating lather without overly stripping the hair.
—Allure Editors, Allure, 24 Mar. 2026
Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Dec. 2025
Mario Badescu’s no-frills formula refines pores and soothes skin post-cleansing with witch hazel and rose water.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 18 Nov. 2025
Exploring divine Love’s infinite nature is so cleansing.
—Mark Swinney, Christian Science Monitor, 6 May 2025
Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 1 Apr. 2026
This nourishing cleansing oil provides deep hydration for youthful, healthy-looking skin.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
The tasting begins with a palate-cleansing slurp of Soda Folk.
—Dominic Green, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
The same goes for cleansing with Epsom salt and milk baths.
—Sarah Boden, NPR, 16 Mar. 2026
Nighttime routines used to consist of cleansing your face, putting on a basic retinol, and finishing with a generous slathering of Pond's Cream.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
The rain continues, cleansing the city of its grime.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Manon Coubia‘s gorgeous, whispering first feature is therefore not a film of major dramatic incidents and revelations, though its payoff is clear and cleansing as a mountain spring.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
This drugstore pick is especially designed for anyone experiencing mild or normal shedding due to breakage and helps restore strength by using gentle surfactants while cleansing.
—Jamie Wilson, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2026
Noun
Spray dry toilet paper with cleansing, soothing and refreshing Pristine to create an instant wet wipe that is actually flushable and safe for your sewer and septic systems.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Over-cleansing is one of the most common beginner mistakes and can leave skin irritated.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Apr. 2026
Facial Cleansing Brushes A gentle facial cleansing brush can remove makeup and impurities more effectively than hands alone.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Evening adds the option of a treatment product between cleansing and moisturizing.
—Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
For Christians, this ultimate sacrifice and defeat of death form the entire basis of the faith — a cleansing of iniquity and sin.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
This is probably the most extreme one-year, top-to-bottom cleansing that the Dolphins have undergone in decades.
—Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
Both formulas rely on a blend of surfactants—sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate and cocamidopropyl betaine—as the main cleansing agents, creating lather without overly stripping the hair.
—Allure Editors, Allure, 24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
To use the bestseller, distribute three pumps over the face and neck daily, post-cleansing, and start savoring its impressive effects after a couple of months of consistent application.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Dec. 2025
Mario Badescu’s no-frills formula refines pores and soothes skin post-cleansing with witch hazel and rose water.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 18 Nov. 2025
Exploring divine Love’s infinite nature is so cleansing.
—Mark Swinney, Christian Science Monitor, 6 May 2025
Verb
Use it after cleansing and prepare to be wowed by how smooth your skin feels.
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 1 Apr. 2026
This nourishing cleansing oil provides deep hydration for youthful, healthy-looking skin.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
The tasting begins with a palate-cleansing slurp of Soda Folk.
—Dominic Green, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
The same goes for cleansing with Epsom salt and milk baths.
—Sarah Boden, NPR, 16 Mar. 2026
Nighttime routines used to consist of cleansing your face, putting on a basic retinol, and finishing with a generous slathering of Pond's Cream.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 7 Mar. 2026
The rain continues, cleansing the city of its grime.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Manon Coubia‘s gorgeous, whispering first feature is therefore not a film of major dramatic incidents and revelations, though its payoff is clear and cleansing as a mountain spring.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Feb. 2026
This drugstore pick is especially designed for anyone experiencing mild or normal shedding due to breakage and helps restore strength by using gentle surfactants while cleansing.
—Jamie Wilson, Glamour, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleansing
Noun
-
Many experts say water recycling and conservation should come first, noting wastewater purification typically uses far less energy than seawater desalination and can substantially reduce impacts on marine life.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Food production, sanitation services, water purification, healthcare services, and more would be greatly diminished, if not stopped entirely.—
Connor Okeeffe,
Oc Register,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And even those veterans could be traded in this rebuilding climate, where the Dolphins are seemingly purging bloated salaries, and traded away players who have value — such as receiver Jaylen Waddle and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick - for draft picks.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Don’t forget your rugs, Ryan Knoll, owner of Tidy Casa, a home cleaning company that cleans over 600 homes a month.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Three quick-connect spray tips offer a range of cleaning from precision to wide-area, an extra-large 22-ounce foam cannon for deep suds and 25 feet of hose with an additional 35 feet of cord for total reach.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the hands of the six-piece band, the shivering chords of that miniature apocalyptic soul song build into a cathartic climax, which Wasner punctuates with weeping slide guitar.—
Mitch Therieau,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
-
While some celebrants have greeted these caricatures with cathartic jeers and sneers, others are shocked and outraged.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Many stepwells were used for ablution; the tanks associated with mosques, Hindu temples and other shrines offered the most purificatory form. Summoning water from the depths was also a symbol of temporal power.—
The Economist,
The Economist,
13 July 2019
Adjective
-
Violators could be ticketed similar to a non-moving violation for a driver.—
Jim Turner,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Each wrong turn is bittersweet, making the eventual reunion even more moving and meaningful.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Launching a plane into space and then landing it on a runway with all the crew remaining in there still feels technologically impressive.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
7 Apr. 2026
-
That’s impressive production for the 6-foot-2, 234-pound defender.—
Mike Kaye
April 6,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Is this emotional state of particular interest to you?—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Security grows as the emotional Moon in your 2nd House of Production trines cheerful Jupiter in your 10th House of Gains.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleansing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleansing. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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