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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
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 The Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 TP10 is another HEPA purifying tower fan featuring 350-degree oscillation, 10 fan modes, and Air Multiplier Technology. — Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 23 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
  • And even if Zhang and Liu are expelled from the party, purging remains the exception rather than the norm, as has been the party’s long-standing practice.
    — ANDREW MERTHA, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Reality says the dead cap money ($182 million) this franchise is taking on after purging the roster keeps Miami from being competitive in the first half of the season.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of purging
Verb
  • Salesforce's latest survey this year shows that a growing number of consumers are delegating product search and filtering to AI agents, with usage of agentic search surging 200% year-on-year.
    — , CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Researchers at a lab at the University of Illinois Chicago have been testing the water for the event for safety, including filtering concentrated bacteria, isolating the DNA, then amplifying it to measure how much is in the water.
    — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of filtering
Adjective
  • His band turned the song into a headbanger’s delight; Jay remained steady and regal over the crunching guitar chords and cathartic drum kicks.
    — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • It was meant to be a moving, cathartic experience for all involved.
    — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of cathartic
Verb
  • However, Homestead police released a statement Thursday afternoon clarifying that the driver remained at the scene and was not at fault.
    — Peter D'Oench, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The dismissal comes just months after the Connecticut legislature voted to pass legislation clarifying its repeal of the religious exemption — a move that drew heated criticism from Republicans.
    — Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 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
  • In parallel to its geographic spread, the jeweler is refining its product pillars, with Nodale describing it as a three-pronged conformation.
    — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • New data guides prototype The high-temperature measurements now give Westinghouse engineers more evidence for refining their analytical models.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of refining
Adjective
  • Perhaps the most moving moment of Don’t Look Back in Anger arrives early with the first of the reunion concerts in Cardiff, Wales.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Most moving, above all, are the correspondences with the writers themselves who reach out at their own expense—quite literally.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of moving

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purify
purifying
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Cite this Entry

“Purifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purifying. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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