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
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Recent Examples of cleanse
Formulated for normal to dry skin, this gentle daily facial cleanser transforms from a silky oil to a soft, lathering foam that deeply cleanses your skin, effectively removing dirt, excess oil and stubborn makeup without clogging pores, leaving residue or a greasy feeling.
—
Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, the party failed to cleanse its image and gave up its primary means of sorting internal conflicts and maintaining party cohesion.
—Mireya Solís, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
The type of breakout determines which cleansing ingredient would work best.
—Khanh T.l. Tran, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Lightning also sparks hydroxyl radicals, which help cleanse the air by breaking down methane and other gases.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Adam Mills, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, the party failed to cleanse its image and gave up its primary means of sorting internal conflicts and maintaining party cohesion.
—Mireya Solís, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2025
The type of breakout determines which cleansing ingredient would work best.
—Khanh T.l. Tran, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Lightning also sparks hydroxyl radicals, which help cleanse the air by breaking down methane and other gases.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
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Violence and vitriol must be purged from the public square.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Sep. 2025
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Unless the Heat releases Terry Rozier or purges some other salary in a trade, Miami would not have enough space to sign a 15th player to a standard contract — and remain under the luxury tax line — until December.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Doctors struggle to access complete patient histories, researchers spend months cleaning inconsistent datasets, and hospitals face spiraling costs just to keep outdated systems running.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Here are nine things that can be cleaned in 10 minutes or less.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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