purify

verb

ˈpyu̇r-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce purify (audio)
Definition of purifynext
1
as in to purge
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially Catholics go to confession to be purified

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to filter
to remove usually visible impurities from purify the water by distillation

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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 purify The heavy snows purify the air and insulate the food warehouses, locking in the high humidity and stable chill necessary to nurture delicate winter koji and yeast strains without catastrophic temperature spikes. — Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026 Pure Copper Charm, which comes in two adorable shapes, a heart or star, is a natural antimicrobial and releases purifying trace copper ions into vase water. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Aug. 2026 But what if the water and nutrients could be purified from whey permeate and used for other purposes? — Idaho Statesman, 17 Aug. 2026 Once hydrogen is flowing from the ground, how will the gas be purified? — IEEE Spectrum, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purify
  1. purge
  2. filter
  3. clarify
  4. refine
  5. extract
  6. clean
Verb
  • Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of bingeing followed by purging.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Esophagus issues, such as acid reflux and GERD, may also develop due to purging.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of purge
Verb
  • Their personal lives are often showcased in a way that’s entirely filtered through the entertainment company’s lens.
    — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Techniques popular in Ukraine and surrounding countries have steadily filtered into the rest of Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with salons all over the world now offering Ukrainian-style manicures.
    — Lucy Abbersteen, Allure, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of filter
Verb
  • For good or ill, the film also refrains from forcing Uta to ever clarify her sexuality or choose one partner over the other.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Now, the former employees, as well as OpenAI, have issued additional statements to clarify their sides of the story.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of clarify
Verb
  • Suffolk more than accommodated this corpus of experience while at the same time enabling me to refine my interests courtesy of its humanizing curriculum.
    — David Shribman, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Now, back in the paddock, Kim Kardashian is continuing to refine her own take on Formula 1 girlfriend dressing.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of refine
Verb
  • Much of the fear stems from Paramount's pledge to extract more than $6 billion in annual synergies within three years of closing the merger.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
  • When Blue Cross Blue Shield recently published research suggesting that hospitals use artificial intelligence tools to extract more money from insurers without providing additional care, people were mad.
    — Leah Pierson, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of extract
Verb
  • Buckets overflowed with conch and clams, and customers pointed to whole fish on ice to be cleaned and cut for dinner.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
  • To be efficiently recycled, these materials need to be sorted, cleaned (where applicable), and concentrated.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of clean

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purify
purifying
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Cite this Entry

“Purify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purify. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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