purifying 1 of 2

adjective

as in cleansing

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purifying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of purify
1
as in purging
to free from moral guilt or blemish especially ceremonially Catholics go to confession to be purified

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2
as in filtering
to remove usually visible impurities from purify the water by distillation

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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 purifying
Verb
Below, take a peek at the best still-available Dyson Prime Day deals, ranging from cordless stick vacuums to purifying tower fans. — Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 8 Oct. 2026 Simple habits such as purifying drinking water, washing hands before meals and after using the bathroom, and practicing good camp hygiene remain some of the easiest ways to stay healthy outdoors. — Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026 Pure Copper Charm, which comes in two adorable shapes, a heart or star, is a natural antimicrobial and releases purifying trace copper ions into vase water. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Aug. 2026 Potential applications include purifying pyrolysis oil produced from waste plastics, recovering industrial solvents used in battery manufacturing, pharmaceutical purification, and biofuel production. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 June 2026 Local residents were urged to limit their exposure by remaining indoors with their windows and doors closed and advised to run air conditioning or air purifying units, where possible. — Adela Suliman, NBC news, 22 June 2026 Charcoal lends an extra purifying boost, while hydrolyzed keratin smooths frizz and softens hair after cleansing. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 19 June 2026 In place of purifying catharsis, tragicomedy traffics in unresolved tension. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026 SacSewer does not charge or gain revenue from water treatment, which involves purifying raw environmental water into safe drinking water. — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purifying
  1. cleansing
  2. purging
  3. filtering
  4. cathartic
  5. clarifying
  6. purificatory
  7. refining
  8. moving
Adjective
  • The in-shower treatment is meant to be used post-cleansing; simply massage it into wet hair and rinse it out two-to-three times a week.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 24 June 2026
  • To use the bestseller, distribute three pumps over the face and neck daily, post-cleansing, and start savoring its impressive effects after a couple of months of consistent application.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Dec. 2025
Definition of cleansing
Verb
  • Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by episodes of bingeing followed by purging.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Esophagus issues, such as acid reflux and GERD, may also develop due to purging.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of purging
Verb
  • Bangkok's preservationists realized that the river could once again become the soul of the city, and creative hoteliers and restaurateurs began filtering back.
    — Tony Perrottet, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Even more baffling is that American Girl already includes age categories as a method for filtering books on its website.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of filtering
Adjective
  • Deeply cathartic to see Madison light a cigarette off Jeffrey Dahmer’s charred corpse.
    — Emma Specter, Vogue, 9 Oct. 2026
  • What followed was about 13 seconds of intense, ear-ringing, cathartic screaming from the crowd of 50,000.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of cathartic
Verb
  • Before meeting with a patient advocate, identify your main objectives – for example, preparing for a transition home, clarifying a treatment plan or understanding medication changes.
    — Jennifer Schlinger, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In November 2025, South Korea proposed talks on clarifying the borderline, but North Korea didn’t respond.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of clarifying
Adjective
  • Many stepwells were used for ablution; the tanks associated with mosques, Hindu temples and other shrines offered the most purificatory form. Summoning water from the depths was also a symbol of temporal power.
    — The Economist, The Economist, 13 July 2019
Definition of purificatory
Verb
  • Chili For the past two years, Wolf has been refining her chili recipe.
    — Taylor Mims, Billboard, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Debeurme approached them after refining his concept with his teams and broadcasting partners, and the Navy authorities eventually proved easy to convince.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of refining
Adjective
  • Perhaps the most moving moment of the finale is the last between John and Hal (or, more accurately, the Hal-o-gram).
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Perhaps the most moving moment of Don’t Look Back in Anger arrives early with the first of the reunion concerts in Cardiff, Wales.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of moving

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purify
purifying
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Cite this Entry

“Purifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purifying. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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