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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 All these machines looked strangely beautiful covered in glittering snow under a pure, clear blue sky. Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2025 The pure of heart among you may recoil at the notion that anyone would sow brutish chaos, hurt vulnerable people and throw any semblance of democracy under the bus for a churlish, vicious distraction. Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2025 Shortstop Carlos Correa was sent to the Houston Astros in a pure salary dump that reunited the three-time All-Star with his original team, which inherited $70 million of the more than $103 million that remained on his contract. Dave Campbell, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025 Stripped of glamour, his dissolution produces a kind of glamour of its own: that of pure addiction, the allure of never saying no. Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pure
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pure
Adjective
  • To devein, or not to devein, isn't a plain yes or no answer.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2025
  • These frames slip right around standard switch plates, instantly turning them from plain plastic rectangles into polished, eye-catching features.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The difficulty of completing an immaculate inning — striking out all three batters in a frame on the minimum nine pitches — is highlighted by how few pitchers have pulled off the feat.
    Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Book a tee time at one of four immaculate championship courses in Calabash: Brunswick Golf Club, Crow Creek, Meadowlands Golf Club, and The Pearl Golf Links.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • To illustrate the absurdity of adhering too closely to genre conventions, Galloway describes a plot about an innocent girl who winds up in a strange town.
    Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The video then hard cuts to Noem jumping out of an ICE vehicle and gunning down an innocent puppy in the street.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The look was finished with a silk tulle veil, crystal beaded Manolo Blahnik satin sandals and a pair of sheer elbow gloves.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Founder Samantha Brett emphasizes layering SPF over makeup, with formulas like their Beauty Screen Mineral Tints providing SPF50 protection in a sheer, wearable finish.
    Laia Farran Graves, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • This series had no redeeming science value, but was pure unadulterated entertainment.
    Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • West Indies Salad is a crab ceviche served chilled, and its short and basic ingredient list—Gulf crabmeat, salt, pepper, vinegar, onion, vegetable oil and ice water—allows the crustacean to shine in all its unadulterated glory.
    Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
Adjective
  • There she was scolded by the nutritionally chaste household for drinking coffee and wearing leather gloves.
    James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
  • In Zone 6, chaste tree may die back to the ground in winter but resprouts in the following growing season.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 10 June 2025
Adjective
  • More white people claim the credit than Black people certainly.
    Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
  • The only racial group that saw a decrease in suicide rates across age cohorts was non-Hispanic white people.
    Ellen Barry, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • In the pic, eras overlap seamlessly, capturing the primal fears, rituals, and unconditional bonds that remain unchanged through time.
    Annika Pham, Variety, 6 Aug. 2025
  • One of the most important parts of the film is the story of Ella Little-Collins unconditional love towards Malcolm X, Gayotto-Hohl said.
    Damenica Ellis, Charlotte Observer, 6 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Pure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pure. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

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