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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to clean
to remove the dirt from
cleanse the wound with soap and water before applying the bandage
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cleanse
The ancient ritual will see smoke from smoldering native leaves waft over the island’s sandy beaches – to cleanse, and to heal.
—
Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
The three pools source their water from a well in the grounds, which is then treated and distributed; and the Long Pool is treated and cleansed with natural salt instead of chlorine.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
At the purification basin, visitors can use ladles of water to symbolically cleanse themselves and even their money.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2026
This soap never strips the skin of moisture, leaving your face and body perfectly cleansed and your skin barrier stronger than before.
—Olivia Rose Rushing, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
The three pools source their water from a well in the grounds, which is then treated and distributed; and the Long Pool is treated and cleansed with natural salt instead of chlorine.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026
At the purification basin, visitors can use ladles of water to symbolically cleanse themselves and even their money.
—Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 12 Jan. 2026
This soap never strips the skin of moisture, leaving your face and body perfectly cleansed and your skin barrier stronger than before.
—Olivia Rose Rushing, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
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The nation was to be purged of continual sin not indeed all of its own doing—due partly to its inheritance; and yet a sin, a negation that gave the world the right to sneer at the pretensions of this republic.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
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And so every autocrat ends up purging any kind of critic.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Pearson said the district should rely on MSCS employees to clean schools instead of having to adopt annual contracts with outside vendors.—
Bri Hatch,
Chalkbeat,
30 Jan. 2026
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Dirt, pet hair, and dust blend right in, while the durable synthetic fibers resist stains and are easy to clean.—
Jacquelyn McGilvray,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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