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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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 The Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 TP10 is another HEPA purifying tower fan featuring 350-degree oscillation, 10 fan modes, and Air Multiplier Technology. — Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 23 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 Next is purifying and hydrating with the Body Wash, which moisturizes and plumps skin while deeply cleansing pores, strengthening the skin barrier and triggering cellular regeneration. — Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 27 May 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
  • Similar to purging in home organizing, Keen says to look for images that spark joy, like Marie Kondo-style decluttering.
    — Staff Author, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026
  • When purging categories was proposed during that period, it was met with fierce resistance from the Writers branch, as well as WGA.
    — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 17 July 2026
Definition of purging
Verb
  • Instead of filtering candidates by degree requirements alone, employers can search for the exact skills to succeed in a job.
    — Raghu Krishnaiah, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Nick Wosika / Imagn Images The positive message filtering out of the clubhouse has been the same all year.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of filtering
Adjective
  • Ross’ music eschews the cathartic function of a lot of classic heartland rock, maybe because his lyric-writing is fairly literary and terse.
    — Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Marrow Deep at times feels turbulent, ornate, measured, chaotic, and cathartic.
    — Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of cathartic
Verb
  • The work required clarifying roles and responsibilities, addressing internal conflict, establishing accountability and consistently tracking commitments.
    — Jason Bork, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • All three projects will collectively contribute to better measurements of how cosmic structure is changing over time—crucial information for clarifying the nature of dark energy and dark matter in the universe’s evolution.
    — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 31 Aug. 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
  • The same is true of thoughtful case studies, difficult decisions explained transparently, lessons learned from failures, long-term client relationships or years spent refining a particular expertise.
    — Matteo Pittaluga, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • America catches up to the Mediterranean bowl Kfoury spent nearly a decade refining the model.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of refining
Adjective
  • Thomas Edison received a patent for his Kinetograph moving-picture camera.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026
  • One of Bourdain’s most moving reflections on fatherhood came in a 2013 essay for The Guardian.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of moving

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purify
purifying
purist
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Cite this Entry

“Purifying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purifying. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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