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
Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 5 Feb. 2026
Mid-lengths and ends still need cleansing, but indirectly.
—Ana Morales, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Co-writer and director Hill brings a unique lens to Reef’s wild but spiritually cleansing, nostalgic and eye-opening trip down memory lane, where confronting his past might be the only way to rescue his future.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
That means it should be used after cleansing, but before applying serums or moisturizer.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 28 Jan. 2026
The word February denotes purification, encouraging a cleansing of the past.
—Elaine Rewolinski, jsonline.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Sulwhasoo model using gentle cleansing foam It’s further reinforced by decades of investment in advanced formulation science and manufacturing in Korea and Japan, resulting in products that are both innovative and reliable.
—Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The notion of grief gradually fades into the backdrop, finally re-emerging in a manner that is, thanks to the film’s lumpy tonal mixture, more confusing than emotionally cleansing.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
If your skin feels rough, flaky, or tight after cleansing, then ectoin is for you.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 22 Jan. 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
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
This three-in-one purifier, humidifier, and cooling fan takes a well-rounded approach to improving your air quality by hydrating and deeply cleansing the air.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 1 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
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
Mid-lengths and ends still need cleansing, but indirectly.
—Ana Morales, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Co-writer and director Hill brings a unique lens to Reef’s wild but spiritually cleansing, nostalgic and eye-opening trip down memory lane, where confronting his past might be the only way to rescue his future.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
That means it should be used after cleansing, but before applying serums or moisturizer.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 28 Jan. 2026
The word February denotes purification, encouraging a cleansing of the past.
—Elaine Rewolinski, jsonline.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Sulwhasoo model using gentle cleansing foam It’s further reinforced by decades of investment in advanced formulation science and manufacturing in Korea and Japan, resulting in products that are both innovative and reliable.
—Corein Carter, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
The notion of grief gradually fades into the backdrop, finally re-emerging in a manner that is, thanks to the film’s lumpy tonal mixture, more confusing than emotionally cleansing.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026
If your skin feels rough, flaky, or tight after cleansing, then ectoin is for you.
—Jacqueline Kilikita, Refinery29, 22 Jan. 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
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
This three-in-one purifier, humidifier, and cooling fan takes a well-rounded approach to improving your air quality by hydrating and deeply cleansing the air.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 1 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
-
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
-
Probing matter, antimatter, and supernovae Once one of the cryostats is filled, external pumps will continuously recirculate the liquid argon through a purification system.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
4 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
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Tanu Grewal is the chief cleaning officer at Pinalen, Cloralen and Ensueno Laundry.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
-
For Freshening Bed Linens If your spring cleaning routine involves tackling the bed linens, consider adding lemon juice to this process to keep them fresh.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The songs, by the female rock duo ARXX, make cathartic anthems of these grievances.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, watching the crash proved cathartic.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
5 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
-
That’s impressive for a rebuilding team, but is anyone picking the Ducks over the Oilers in a playoff series?—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The seven others are an impressive array of politicians and nonpoliticians alike, all articulate and accomplished in various ways.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Testimony is also likely to include emotional stories from those who were in the school that day.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Romero does not have the tactical or emotional discipline required to be an effective captain.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleansing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleansing. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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