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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Emily Orofino, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2026
Crushed black olives and eucalyptus produce the cleansing soap formula, applied onto the skin in a steamy chamber for the ultimate purification ritual.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Feb. 2026
Some were skeptical of the gut-cleansing claims.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Hundreds of residents in Tangerang, a city outside the capital, Jakarta, flock to the Cisadane River to wash their hair with rice straw shampoo and welcome the fasting month with a symbolic spiritual cleansing.
—Mariam Fam, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Spa Treatments Kick off your wellness with a restorative full-body massage or cleansing facial.
—Lauren P. Reyes, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
To take a cleansing breath and enjoy what should now be the start of something better again.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Nasal cleansing was commonly used to support breathing and overall well-being.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Eid al-Fitr is a joyous time of renewal spent with friends and family after the month of spiritual cleansing, self-restraint and contemplation.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 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
Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Feb. 2026
How to use hypochlorous acid Apply HOCl after cleansing your skin but before serums or moisturizers, Garshick says.
—Erica Sweeney, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
When should makeup remover wipes be used instead of cleansing balms?
—Tatayana Yomary, Essence, 28 Jan. 2026
Where January opened with a cleansing Cancer Full Moon, February begins with bold, expressive fire.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026
Glamour reviewer Elismary Valle says that this cleanser is fast and tough, and brushes and makeup sponges are left as good as new after cleansing with it.
—Taryn Brooke, Glamour, 22 Jan. 2026
The aura-cleansing ritual is designed to realign your chakras and release any energy that may be weighing you down.
—Mary Honkus, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Jan. 2026
How to care for your crystals Yes, our crystals need cleansing too.
—Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Save your palate-cleansing sips of Champagne or Chablis for raw oysters.
—Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Nov. 2025
Noun
After decades of skin abuse, society moved on to different cleansing formats, like non-foaming gels, milky cleansers, and even enzymatic powders.
—Emily Orofino, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2026
Crushed black olives and eucalyptus produce the cleansing soap formula, applied onto the skin in a steamy chamber for the ultimate purification ritual.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Feb. 2026
Some were skeptical of the gut-cleansing claims.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Hundreds of residents in Tangerang, a city outside the capital, Jakarta, flock to the Cisadane River to wash their hair with rice straw shampoo and welcome the fasting month with a symbolic spiritual cleansing.
—Mariam Fam, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Spa Treatments Kick off your wellness with a restorative full-body massage or cleansing facial.
—Lauren P. Reyes, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
To take a cleansing breath and enjoy what should now be the start of something better again.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Nasal cleansing was commonly used to support breathing and overall well-being.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Eid al-Fitr is a joyous time of renewal spent with friends and family after the month of spiritual cleansing, self-restraint and contemplation.
—Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 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
Verb
These trends are like the hair equivalent of taking a deep, cleansing spring breath.
—Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Feb. 2026
How to use hypochlorous acid Apply HOCl after cleansing your skin but before serums or moisturizers, Garshick says.
—Erica Sweeney, Time, 28 Jan. 2026
When should makeup remover wipes be used instead of cleansing balms?
—Tatayana Yomary, Essence, 28 Jan. 2026
Where January opened with a cleansing Cancer Full Moon, February begins with bold, expressive fire.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 25 Jan. 2026
Glamour reviewer Elismary Valle says that this cleanser is fast and tough, and brushes and makeup sponges are left as good as new after cleansing with it.
—Taryn Brooke, Glamour, 22 Jan. 2026
The aura-cleansing ritual is designed to realign your chakras and release any energy that may be weighing you down.
—Mary Honkus, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Jan. 2026
How to care for your crystals Yes, our crystals need cleansing too.
—Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 29 Dec. 2025
Save your palate-cleansing sips of Champagne or Chablis for raw oysters.
—Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleansing
Noun
-
The project calls for demolishing a 1949 single-family home and building a 2,500-square-foot contemporary building to be used as a Jewish ritual pool for women for spiritual purification.—
Lauren Costantino
February 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
-
There is also a temezcal, a sweat lodge used by many Mesoamerican peoples, where guests can participate in a purification ritual.—
John Newton,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Heaters are keeping the Orion capsule warm atop the rocket, officials said, and rocket-purging systems are also being adapted to the cold.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
And so every autocrat ends up purging any kind of critic.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Make sure to use a damp mop rather than a soaking wet one, or use a floor spray designed for hardwood floors and a dry cleaning pad to clean the surface.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The facility’s employees lacked food safety knowledge in several areas including holding temperatures, proper sanitizing of food contact surfaces and cleaning frequency.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
February 13,
Sacbee.com,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
When one family’s nightmare becomes nationally syndicated, though, attention can become a demand—for more detail, for more drama, for a cathartic conclusion.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
This thriller could be a, ahem, cathartic read for the jaded.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 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
-
Among the more moving cases that Blair describes are those of people who in life were vulnerable and powerless but in death were considered formidable threats.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The offense is considered a non-moving violation with no license points, though vehicles can be towed in some cases.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Known for its arts and music festivals, incredible food, gorgeous squares, and impressive museums, the city also boasts easy beach access with Tybee Island just a quick hop, skip, and a jump away.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Pundits are piling on, with the groupthink of armchair analysts reflexively comparing American’s stock chart to admittedly impressive peers such as Delta and United, without recognizing their differences as compared to American, which flies the world’s largest number of passengers by far.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Kelly’s emotional two-dimensionality increases our anger on behalf of Pidgeon’s Carolyn, a vibrant professional woman who sees her life and her career toxified by the paparazzi and the press.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
For me, that connection is the emotional core of 17.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleansing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleansing. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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