purifying 1 of 2

adjective

as in cleansing

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purifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of purify
1
as in purging
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 filtering
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 purifying
Verb
Below, take a peek at the best still-available Dyson Prime Day deals, ranging from cordless stick vacuums to purifying tower fans. — Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 Simple habits such as purifying drinking water, washing hands before meals and after using the bathroom, and practicing good camp hygiene remain some of the easiest ways to stay healthy outdoors. — Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 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 Potential applications include purifying pyrolysis oil produced from waste plastics, recovering industrial solvents used in battery manufacturing, pharmaceutical purification, and biofuel production. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 June 2026 Local residents were urged to limit their exposure by remaining indoors with their windows and doors closed and advised to run air conditioning or air purifying units, where possible. — Adela Suliman, NBC news, 22 June 2026 Charcoal lends an extra purifying boost, while hydrolyzed keratin smooths frizz and softens hair after cleansing. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 19 June 2026 In place of purifying catharsis, tragicomedy traffics in unresolved tension. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026 SacSewer does not charge or gain revenue from water treatment, which involves purifying raw environmental water into safe drinking water. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purifying
  1. cleansing
  2. purging
  3. filtering
  4. cathartic
  5. clarifying
  6. purificatory
  7. refining
  8. moving
Adjective
  • The in-shower treatment is meant to be used post-cleansing; simply massage it into wet hair and rinse it out two-to-three times a week.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 24 June 2026
  • To use the bestseller, distribute three pumps over the face and neck daily, post-cleansing, and start savoring its impressive effects after a couple of months of consistent application.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Dec. 2025
Definition of cleansing
Verb
  • Beginning a decade or so ago, institutional style guides across the academy began purging the word from official campus discourse.
    — Trygve Throntveit, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of bingeing followed by purging.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of purging
Verb
  • Along the circulation areas, adjustable panels woven from recycled PET rattan provide privacy while allowing air through and filtering daylight.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
  • This air filter works similar to one in an AC unit and is responsible for filtering out air and particles from the fridge.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of filtering
Adjective
  • Deeply cathartic to see Madison light a cigarette off Jeffrey Dahmer’s charred corpse.
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
  • What followed was about 13 seconds of intense, ear-ringing, cathartic screaming from the crowd of 50,000.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of cathartic
Verb
  • This clarifying toner exfoliates skin to gently remove debris and dead skin cells, while rosemary, aloe, and chamomile extract soften and soothe.
    — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Singer argued that inflation must be addressed through fiscal discipline, clarifying earlier comments about food prices to state that inflation rates are declining.
    — Abby Dodge, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of clarifying
Adjective
  • Many stepwells were used for ablution; the tanks associated with mosques, Hindu temples and other shrines offered the most purificatory form. Summoning water from the depths was also a symbol of temporal power.
    — The Economist, The Economist, 13 July 2019
Definition of purificatory
Verb
  • By refining double magnetic resonance for a single atom, the team demonstrated a way to address these different magnetic components independently.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2026
  • By refining an exceptional predecessor rather than overhauling it, the newest Paperwhite comfortably remains the best ereader for most people, easily earning our Editors' Choice award.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of refining
Adjective
  • The partnership previously focused on experimental cinema, film restoration, and building the contemporary art museum’s moving-image collection.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The partnership has until now mostly focused on experimental cinema, film restoration, and building the museum’s moving-image collection.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of moving

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purifying
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Cite this Entry

“Purifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purifying. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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