Definition of purenext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word pure distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of pure are chaste, decent, and modest. While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions.

the pure of heart

In what contexts can chaste take the place of pure?

Although the words chaste and pure have much in common, chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows.

they maintained chaste relations

How are the words modest and decent related as synonyms of pure?

Both modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity.

preferred more modest swimsuits
decent people didn't go to such movies

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pure However, not winning on pure model performance doesn’t mean Google is down and out of the AI race. Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 Yet along with this should come the recognition that the highs achieved by those momentum stocks in the second quarter came from massive leverage and crowding that won’t quickly return, not from pure fundamental improvement. Michael Santoli, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026 Opening spring through fall in pure white to soft pink hues, the fragrant blooms are a favorite of butterflies, bumblebees, and hummingbirds. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2026 Nobody’s motives seem 100 percent pure in Monsters of God, self-assessments notwithstanding. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pure
Adjective
  • In 1929, an Armenian immigrant family founded what would become the Colombo brand, selling large containers of plain yogurt as a convenience for fellow transplants from other parts of the world.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Business leaders, model risk teams, auditors and regulators all need different levels of explanation, from a plain-language summary to a detailed technical trace.
    Sandeep Shivam, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Nothing of this reality is visible in the paintings themselves, whose facture is immaculate.
    Carmen Rosenberg-Miller, Artforum, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Welcome to Berkeley, where the vibes are immaculate, the views are world-class, and football enthusiasm has traditionally gone to die.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The girl was described as an innocent bystander who was not involved in the confrontation that led to the shooting.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026
  • But after endearing us to this eager and innocent narrator, Saunders blindsides us.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Overall, the effect of both was a really subtle, sheer, wearable eye shadow that enhanced my eyes while still feeling really natural and effortless.
    Elle Turner, Glamour, 8 Aug. 2026
  • At the vessel level, sheer survival is about to overtop operational efficiency.
    Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Many who watched that win with unadulterated joy on NBC that Sunday suddenly felt like they may be getting used during the network broadcast of the SOTU on Tuesday.
    Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026
  • All of these solutions are unevenly distributed, and the effects of unadulterated heat are concentrated on the country’s poor.
    Henry Grabar, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
Adjective
  • Then there was the rather chaste kiss on Evans’s show late last year.
    Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 June 2026
  • Deadhead your chaste tree in late winter to promote flowering in the spring and summer months.
    Steve Bender, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
Adjective
  • The images her sister captured after the strike show the trajectory of the projectile, which ripped through floor after floor, and left a gaping hole covered in a thick layer of white dust.
    Ava Bambuck, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Even the most outdated cabinets can be given a makeover by replacing the cabinet hardware—think swapping out those white enamel knobs for bars with a matte black finish, for example.
    Barbara Bellesi Zito, The Spruce, 5 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The letter gave the council 30 days from July 15 to respond with an unconditional commitment, or said the city risks legal action from the resident coalition.
    Victoria Le, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In the film, what matters is not to reduce him to his trans identity, but to observe how he is received with unconditional love.
    Roberto Prieto, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pure. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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