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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cleanse
This Sephora brand micellar cleansing milk is a gentle yet effective way to cleanse your skin while on the go.
—
Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025
From cleansing to moisturizing and applying sunscreen, your skin-care routine should start with the lightest products and work its way up to the heaviest.1
Jump to Key Takeaways.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 9 June 2025
Cycling, too, has made changes to cleanse a reputation sullied by the likes of Lance Armstrong.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Apply it to one section at a time and use a small, damp cloth to cleanse.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 24 June 2025
From cleansing to moisturizing and applying sunscreen, your skin-care routine should start with the lightest products and work its way up to the heaviest.1
Jump to Key Takeaways.
—Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 9 June 2025
Cycling, too, has made changes to cleanse a reputation sullied by the likes of Lance Armstrong.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Apply it to one section at a time and use a small, damp cloth to cleanse.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cleanse
Verb
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During a May 19 town hall meeting with NIH staff members, Jay Bhattacharya, the institute’s new director, equivocated when asked about funding cuts for research into improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities — cuts made under the guise of purging DEI from the government.—
Rachana Pradhan,
CNN Money,
8 July 2025
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All 12 seasons and 264 episodes of MSW were purged from Peacock this morning, despite the fact that the series is owned and distributed by Universal Television, sibling studio to the streamer.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Does cleaning your cleaning supplies seem overkill?—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
-
The brush head is designed to clean hard-to-reach areas, helping to prevent gingivitis and cavities.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cleanse. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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