purify

verb

ˈpyu̇r-ə-ˌfī How to pronounce purify (audio)
Definition of purifynext
1
as in to purge
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 to filter
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 purify Puerto Rico’s governor had declared a state of emergency in late July because of the persistent dry conditions and activated the National Guard to transport, distribute, and purify water. — Dánica Coto, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The heavy snows purify the air and insulate the food warehouses, locking in the high humidity and stable chill necessary to nurture delicate winter koji and yeast strains without catastrophic temperature spikes. — Adam H. Graham, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 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 But what if the water and nutrients could be purified from whey permeate and used for other purposes? — Idaho Statesman, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for purify
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purify
  1. purge
  2. filter
  3. clarify
  4. refine
  5. extract
  6. clean
Verb
  • One eye-opening game won’t necessarily purge that thinking, and no doubt Worthy has plenty more to demonstrate.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The law is supposed to prevent mistakes that could erroneously purge eligible voters right before an election without giving voters time to correct errors.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of purge
Verb
  • Beirut's private-press scene has little in common with the studio culture of ’80s Tokyo, where an abundance of resources and technology filtered the same foreign influences into something more perfect and polished.
    — Shy Clara Thompson, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Inside Clarify Clinic’s proprietary centrifuge machine, which is designed to filter contaminants out of human blood.
    — Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of filter
Verb
  • Supreme Court Justice Zanin later clarified the decision is valid for wherever polls were still open.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Test results should help clarify whether its propulsion system and modular design can deliver the range and flexibility L3Harris promises.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of clarify
Verb
  • Future research will focus on refining decoupling molecules, integrating tandem cell designs, and scaling production for roll-to-roll manufacturing.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Those productions give Galleri5 a base for refining its technology against real-world creative and production demands.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of refine
Verb
  • Doctors can use catheters to enter blood vessels in the lungs and dissolve or extract the clots.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Heavy drones offer the advantages of speedy evacuation and potentially greater survivability for wounded soldiers, along with likely representing the only realistic option for extracting soldiers from dangerous frontline positions.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of extract
Verb
  • The Find + Follow Air Purifier senses areas of high air pollutants in the home – such as where residents are cooking, smoking or burning candles – and adjusts its position to clean this air.
    — Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
  • There’s always somebody cleaning, a chef, nannies, assistants.
    — Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of clean

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purifies
purify
purifying
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Cite this Entry

“Purify.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purify. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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