cleansed; cleansing; cleanses
1
: clean
especially
: to rid of impurities by or as if by washing
cleansed the wound
It's that mystical state most athletes are lucky to achieve a few times in their careers. The mind is cleansed. The body is free. —
Jon Wertheim
Jon Wertheim 2
: to expel, imprison, or kill (the members of an ethnic minority) in (an area) : to subject to or remove by ethnic cleansing
In 1996, tens of thousands of ethnic Tutsis, most of them of Rwandan origin, were murdered or ethnically cleansed in the Masisi region of eastern Zaire.—David Rieff
David Rieff
: to engage in or undergo a cleanse to remove toxins from the body
Some people who cleanse say they experience dramatic physical changes.—Karen Hube
Karen Hube
: a very restrictive short-term diet primarily intended to remove toxins from the body
Under the supervision of her nutritionist … Gillian Anderson has reportedly participated in cleanses that consist of little more than liquids for 10 days.—J. D. Heiman
J. D. Heiman… told me about her 28-day cleanse, which limits the caffeine, sugar, gluten, dairy and red meat in your diet.—Jon Harris
Jon HarrisSynonyms
Examples of cleanse in a Sentence
Verb
The cut should be cleansed gently with mild soap and water.
in an elaborate ritual the priestess cleansed the gathering of supplicants
Recent Examples on the Web
Sudipta Sen, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2025
When used immediately after cleansing (and before your moisturizer or sunscreen), these products can add a nourishing boost to your skin care routine—without feeling greasy or heavy.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 5 Feb. 2025
Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 6 Feb. 2025
Milla — a young woman who feels disillusioned by doctors that treat her like a recalcitrant child, directing even conversations about her treatment to her father instead of her — finds false security in quacks selling enemas and juice cleanses.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2025
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Verb
The enduring appeal Over the centuries, countless pilgrims have bathed and prayed in the Ganga, driven by the enduring belief that its waters possess the power to cleanse the spirit and cure diseases.
—Sudipta Sen, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2025
When used immediately after cleansing (and before your moisturizer or sunscreen), these products can add a nourishing boost to your skin care routine—without feeling greasy or heavy.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 5 Feb. 2025
Noun
Key Takeaways Even a short juice cleanse can disrupt gut and mouth microbiomes, leading to inflammation, a new study shows.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 6 Feb. 2025
Milla — a young woman who feels disillusioned by doctors that treat her like a recalcitrant child, directing even conversations about her treatment to her father instead of her — finds false security in quacks selling enemas and juice cleanses.
—Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cleanse
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Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanse. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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