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
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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
Lightning also sparks hydroxyl radicals, which help cleanse the air by breaking down methane and other gases.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
From cleansing the harbor from over a century of industrial pollution to preserving the Waukegan Dunes running the length of the city’s north beach, the environment played a key role in the evolution of the lakefront.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
Mindful breathing, meditation, and cupping therapies help clear toxins, while sound bowl and crystal chakra cleanses balance the body’s energy.
—Nina Patel, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2025
In a slightly different treatment, Farias at Our Skin Clinic uses advanced HydraFacial technology to deeply cleanse, exfoliate, and nourish the skin on your back.
—Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
From cleansing the harbor from over a century of industrial pollution to preserving the Waukegan Dunes running the length of the city’s north beach, the environment played a key role in the evolution of the lakefront.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2025
Mindful breathing, meditation, and cupping therapies help clear toxins, while sound bowl and crystal chakra cleanses balance the body’s energy.
—Nina Patel, Travel + Leisure, 27 Aug. 2025
In a slightly different treatment, Farias at Our Skin Clinic uses advanced HydraFacial technology to deeply cleanse, exfoliate, and nourish the skin on your back.
—Pooja Shah, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
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Guy will not see the Verdun purged of unexploded ordnance in his lifetime.—
Michael Jerome Plunkett
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
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Moving is the perfect excuse to purge.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Police also believe Lawson tried to clean the scene.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Sep. 2025
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This creates delays in patient care, from nurses having to run across the campus to fetch IV poles to cardiovascular surgeons having to clean their own offices after each patient, Siebers said.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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