PURGE Synonyms: 32 Similar and Opposite Words

purge

verb

ˈpərj

Definition of purge

as in to restore

to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially a day on which the faithful are expected to purge themselves of their sins through prayer and fasting

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 purge Similar to purging in home organizing, Keen says to look for images that spark joy, like Marie Kondo-style decluttering. — Staff Author, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026 Black and female military officers have been purged or denied promotion. — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 Immigration courts are backed up and judges have been purged. — Shimon Prokupecz, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 The roster of the previous Miami regime has largely been purged, but some players remain who were teammates with Tagovailoa. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purge

Recent Examples of Synonyms for purge

Verb

Harvard declined to go along and eventually won a lawsuit that restored the funding.

— John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026
Kelly set a hearing for Wednesday on the networks’ motion for a temporary restraining order to prohibit such a ban and restore their correspondents’ credentials.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of restore

Verb

Henry says that cleansing too aggressively can contribute to barrier disruption as well.

— Lindy Segal, Glamour, 22 Sep. 2026
Soon, he and two other guests are taken hostage by Joan (Taylor-Joy) and her radical followers, who believe that a volcanic event will cleanse the planet.

— Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of cleanse

Verb

Instead of sugar or salt, this scalp scrub counts on apricot seed to exfoliate and menthol to purify.

— Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 14 Sep. 2026
There are many easy and cost-effective ways to purify water, such as boiling, filtration and treating with chemical disinfectants.

— Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of purify

Browse Nearby Words

purgatory

purge

purged

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Purge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purge. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of purge

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

pundit

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes