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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 Here are this week’s rankings, which are not a pure ranking of how good each team is, rather a ranking of the overall feel around the teams, programs and fan bases, the hopes, the dreams, the frustration, the despair … the vibes. Seth Emerson, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025 Of course, this is pure speculation at this point in time. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025 Poltergeist pairs two Hollywood heavyweights, with Steven Spielberg behind the story and Tobe Hooper in the director's chair — and the result is pure movie magic. Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025 Even though Netherworld Haunted House is pure theatrical illusion, your body doesn’t quite know that. Isabel Rosales, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pure
Adjective
  • The promise of artificial intelligence is that the desktop will disappear entirely and users will only interact with a chatbot or a voice that will carry out their bidding through plain language alone, morphing the entire computer into an anthropomorphized character.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
  • It can be enjoyed plain, sweetened, or with a squeeze of lemon.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Many reviewers credited the beach’s immaculate facilities and amenities— including bathrooms, charcoal grills, tables, and picnic pavilions—for making their visits true trips to paradise.
    Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025
  • But with Mayfield playing immaculate hero ball, those issues are less important than the fact that Tampa’s young (and now injured) secondary is exactly the type of game the Lions prefer to hunt.
    J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • De Silva, police noted, was an innocent bystander who was not involved in the quarrel and was not believed to have been the target.
    Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • So that seemingly innocent Machu Picchu stamp—one of the most popular souvenir stamps around—could be viewed not as a harmless keepsake but as an unauthorized alteration that might jeopardize your ability to travel.
    Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • That said, each tint is said to offer sheer, buildable coverage with the right touch of color.
    Tatayana Yomary, Essence, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Naomi Watts also went sheer in a daring look from Valentino’s spring 2025 couture collection, which featured a voluminous skirt with a lacy top.
    Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • This was pure, unadulterated power.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 20 Oct. 2025
  • To help their audience develop their own personal relationship with fragrance through unadulterated exploration.
    Kayla Greaves, Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Chihiro and Hiruhiko were engaging in the sort of passionate but chaste dude-bro melodrama that takes place only in shōnen manga.
    Matt Alt, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
  • To win the grand prize, 10 contestants must stay as chaste as possible in a house together for four weeks.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 16 July 2025
Adjective
  • Alijah Martin, the Raptors rookie on a two-way contract who was not active for the game, wore a white Blue Jays jersey underneath his zip-up with a new Jays cap.
    Eric Koreen, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • All colors—black, green, pink, pistachio, red, blue, and white—have the wide lines running down the sides in contrasting colors.
    Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In a heartfelt tribute shared on Instagram, the princess thanked her mom for her unconditional support.
    Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Your love for the city, your team, and its players is unconditional.
    Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pure. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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