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 HarrisExamples 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
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 24 Apr. 2025
For a cleanser, choose a formula that cleanses well without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
—Cierra Black, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025
Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 1 May 2025
The two men had worked together for years, selling everything from colon cleanses to get-rich-quick advice, before pivoting to crypto with uneven results.
—Eric Lipton, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
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Verb
Better yet, get the best advice from all three in one place:
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Our top picks for cleansing, moisturizing, and treating complexions with medical-grade skin care:
IS Clinical Cleansing Complex and Active Serum.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 24 Apr. 2025
For a cleanser, choose a formula that cleanses well without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
—Cierra Black, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
Myth 2: Juicing Your Fruits and Vegetables Is the Healthiest Way to Eat Them
Juicing, detox juice cleanses, or consuming all your produce in liquid form are recurring trends.
—Allison Herries, Verywell Health, 1 May 2025
The two men had worked together for years, selling everything from colon cleanses to get-rich-quick advice, before pivoting to crypto with uneven results.
—Eric Lipton, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cleanse
Cite this Entry
“Cleanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleanse. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
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