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
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 cleanse
Shani Darden's Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning Triple Acid Signature Peel delivers almost immediate radiance, thanks to a two-step process that deeply resurfaces and cleanses skin.
—
Annie Blackman, Allure, 28 Feb. 2026
The retrograde season is a transformative time, allowing for processing and learning from past mistakes to cleanse for the future.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 26 Feb. 2026
Whereas questions on doping were encouraged a decade ago, as the sport sought to cleanse its image, enquiries on the topic are much more likely to be rebuffed and snarled at.
—Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
The rain continues, cleansing the city of its grime.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Annie Blackman, Allure, 28 Feb. 2026
The retrograde season is a transformative time, allowing for processing and learning from past mistakes to cleanse for the future.
—Faith Bugenhagen, Austin American Statesman, 26 Feb. 2026
Whereas questions on doping were encouraged a decade ago, as the sport sought to cleanse its image, enquiries on the topic are much more likely to be rebuffed and snarled at.
—Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
The rain continues, cleansing the city of its grime.
—Rodrigo Hasbún, Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
-
Call this Green Bay South, and buckle up for the uncomfortable ride of purging the roster for draft picks because everything of value will likely be sold off, shipped away if the right offer is made.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Haugh lets out the occasional wince, twitch and groan as Patterson kneads knotted muscles and purges lactic acid build-up so Florida’s leading scorer and ironman can continue to shoulder his heavy workload.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Cream of Tartar & Lemon Juice Paste Like baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, cream of tartar and lemon shockingly has cleaning and brightening properties that are effective for lifting dirt and stains off grout lines.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Children under 5 years old are commonly exposed to cleaning products, makeup, soaps, medications, vitamins and even plants.—
Gina Lee Castro,
jsonline.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
