1
as in to purge
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially
in an elaborate ritual the priestess cleansed the gathering of supplicants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to clean
to remove the dirt from
cleanse the wound with soap and water before applying the bandage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cleanse
In the remaining weeks of this cycle, focus on healing, cleansing, releasing and moving on from anyone and anything that is holding you back.
—
Kyle Thomas, People.com, 18 May 2025
Teens are especially prone to breakouts from a lack of cleansing due to the high levels of sebum their skin produces.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 12 May 2025
These are gentler and less irritating to sensitive skin than harsher cleansers and can offer additional skin healing and cleansing benefits.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
The nourishing, cleansing mélange of hibiscus extract, false daisy extract, and moringa seed oil is only half the appeal—the other half is the fragrance blend featuring vanilla, citrus, and orange blossom.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Kyle Thomas, People.com, 18 May 2025
Teens are especially prone to breakouts from a lack of cleansing due to the high levels of sebum their skin produces.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 12 May 2025
These are gentler and less irritating to sensitive skin than harsher cleansers and can offer additional skin healing and cleansing benefits.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
The nourishing, cleansing mélange of hibiscus extract, false daisy extract, and moringa seed oil is only half the appeal—the other half is the fragrance blend featuring vanilla, citrus, and orange blossom.
—Annie Blackman, Allure, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
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In early April, Hegseth purged 400 books from the Naval Academy library on race relations, gender, and sexuality.—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
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Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum and party allies have said the elections are a way to purge the court system of corruption in a country that has long faced high levels of impunity.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 June 2025
Verb
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At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year, Roborock showed off a vacuum with a robotic arm for automatically removing obstacles while cleaning floors.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
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His father rose from dishwasher to short-order cook while his mother cleaned houses.—
Linh Tat,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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