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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Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cleansing
Alia Pharr, AJC.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The kit also includes two pairs of gloves, shampoo, conditioner, and a cleansing wipe to remove any dye that gets on your skin.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
Jinn notes that this supereffective cleansing oil rinses completely clean, leaving skin soft rather than squeaky.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2026
Fight the urge to scrub at your eyes or speed through your cleansing process.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 6 Jan. 2026
Now, for those who love the texture and effects of a balm, the brand has created its own version that removes long-wear makeup, including waterproof mascara, as well as sunscreen without the need for a second cleansing step.
—Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Glycerin draws hydration into the skin while shea butter replenishes lipids lost during cleansing, leaving skin softer and more resilient.
—Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 1 Jan. 2026
Thalassotherapy, a medical cure that uses the power of seawater, involves a circuit of 10 to 15 minutes in each of four pools, each with varying salt densities, jets, and water temperatures to promote cleansing, relaxation, and detoxification.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
Air purifiers with technologies like REME® and PHI-cell® offer optimal air cleansing by reducing pollutants and dust particles in the air.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
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
Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 6 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
Practice standing and walking meditation, the Microcosmic Orbit, Taiji Ruler, the Eight Treasures, cleansing the internal organs, embodying the elements and more.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Simply apply it in the morning after cleansing and follow up with the moisturizer and SPF of your choice, though the brand makes a set for those who want the whole routine.
—Caitlyn Martyn
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025
LaVon suggests gently cleansing the scalp with a refresher spray after sweating, followed by a few drops of lightweight oil like grapeseed.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
The type of breakout determines which cleansing ingredient would work best.
—Khanh T.l. Tran, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
Osby’s grandfather, William Bagley, was forced to leave his 60-acre property in Forsyth County without compensation during the 1912 racial cleansing there.
—Alia Pharr, AJC.com, 8 Jan. 2026
The kit also includes two pairs of gloves, shampoo, conditioner, and a cleansing wipe to remove any dye that gets on your skin.
—Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
Jinn notes that this supereffective cleansing oil rinses completely clean, leaving skin soft rather than squeaky.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 6 Jan. 2026
Fight the urge to scrub at your eyes or speed through your cleansing process.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 6 Jan. 2026
Now, for those who love the texture and effects of a balm, the brand has created its own version that removes long-wear makeup, including waterproof mascara, as well as sunscreen without the need for a second cleansing step.
—Jackie Fields, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Glycerin draws hydration into the skin while shea butter replenishes lipids lost during cleansing, leaving skin softer and more resilient.
—Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 1 Jan. 2026
Thalassotherapy, a medical cure that uses the power of seawater, involves a circuit of 10 to 15 minutes in each of four pools, each with varying salt densities, jets, and water temperatures to promote cleansing, relaxation, and detoxification.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 30 Dec. 2025
Air purifiers with technologies like REME® and PHI-cell® offer optimal air cleansing by reducing pollutants and dust particles in the air.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
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
Similarly, make sure to pay special attention to cleansing your jawline—another common breakout zone if makeup is left behind.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 6 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
Practice standing and walking meditation, the Microcosmic Orbit, Taiji Ruler, the Eight Treasures, cleansing the internal organs, embodying the elements and more.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Simply apply it in the morning after cleansing and follow up with the moisturizer and SPF of your choice, though the brand makes a set for those who want the whole routine.
—Caitlyn Martyn
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025
LaVon suggests gently cleansing the scalp with a refresher spray after sweating, followed by a few drops of lightweight oil like grapeseed.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 4 Sep. 2025
The type of breakout determines which cleansing ingredient would work best.
—Khanh T.l. Tran, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleansing
Noun
-
Purification High-quality krill oil supplements will undergo a purification process to remove heavy metals and toxins that may have entered the krill from the ocean waters.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Unity-2 will run through the entire D-T fuel process, including discharge, purification, and resupply, to establish that tritium recycling is a sufficient method to produce fusion energy.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Maduro complemented the repressive apparatus by purging institutions of anyone who dared dissent.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Jan. 2026
-
The task of purging your closet of unwanted or outdated items to make more space can be a nightmare.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Use acetone only as a last resort, test first, then finish by cleaning with mild soapy water.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Each tank holds 40 liters, and each cleaning cycle uses roughly one liter of water per pair of shoes.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Maryland rapper fills his fourth album with cathartic melodies and sentimental tributes to family.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
8 Jan. 2026
-
There’s nothing sort of overly melodramatic or cathartic about it.—
Yvonne Villarreal,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 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
-
This means better reach and penetration even in rural or moving-RV scenarios.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
-
But both grew immensely from knowing one another, and their finding peace in the finale was one of the more moving moments of the entire series.—
Breanne L. Heldman,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This impressive deal only applies to the six-piece set, which includes five compression packing cubes and one drawstring bag in select colors.—
Emily Belfiore,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Joseph’s most recent work in Denver, however, happens to be some of the most impressive as the unit ranked second in total defense, third in scoring and in the top-ten against both the run and pass.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Shouts for it will be met by angry fingers jutted towards the various gaffes played ad nauseam on Sky Sports’ weekly Ref Watch, or the mandatory pause before the emotional unleashing as VAR mulls over whether a goal is a goal or just a hoax.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
But del Toro expands the emotional spectrum with forgiveness.—
Gerrad Hall,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleansing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleansing. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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