Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense cleanses, present participle cleansing, past tense, past participle cleansed
1. verb
To cleanse a place, person, or organization of something dirty, unpleasant, or evil means to make them free from it.
Straight after your last cigarette your body will begin to cleanse itself of tobaccotoxins. [V pron-refl + of]
It urged the party to cleanse its own ranks of those found guilty of human rightsviolations. [V n of n]
Confession cleanses the soul. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: absolve, clear, purge, purify More Synonyms of cleanse
2. verb
If you cleanse your skin or a wound, you clean it.
Catherine demonstrated the proper way to cleanse the face. [VERB noun]
...cleansing lotions. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: clean, wash, scrub, rinse More Synonyms of cleanse
3. verb
If armed forces cleanse an area, they use violent methods to force certain groups of people to leave it and go to live elsewhere. You can also say that people are cleansed from an area.
[disapproval]
...a sustained and systematic effort to ethnically cleanse the entire province. [VERB noun]
Many are refugees of three or four or even five other places where they've been cleansedfrom. [beV-ed from]
4. See also ethnic cleansing
More Synonyms of cleanse
cleanse in British English
(klɛnz)
verb(transitive)
1.
to remove dirt, filth, etc, from
2.
to remove guilt from
3.
to remove a group of people from (an area) by means of ethnic cleansing
Derived forms
cleansable (ˈcleansable)
adjective
Word origin
Old English clǣnsian; related to Middle Low German klēnsen; see clean
cleanse in American English
(klɛnz)
verb transitiveWord forms: cleansed or ˈcleansing
to make clean, pure, etc.; clean; purge
SIMILAR WORDS: clean
Word origin
ME clensen < OE clænsian < clæne, clean
Examples of 'cleanse' in a sentence
cleanse
This is to cleanse the body with the antioxidants.
The Sun (2007)
This effective cleansing cream also makes a superb hand cream.
Guyton, Anita The Natural Beauty Book - cruelty-free cosmetics to make at home (1991)
Try using natural yogurt or mashed avocado as a face mask to cleanse and smooth your skin.
The Sun (2008)
Use after cleansing and your skin will drink it up.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The body cleansed by fasting sends signals.
Lutzner, Dr Helmut Successful Fasting -the easy way to cleanse your body of its poisons (1990)
Good cleansing will also make skin more receptive to the follow up products.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The secret of good skin is good cleansing and treating your skin gently.
The Sun (2012)
Some people say they consider it a cleanse of their body.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Leaves the skin deeply cleansed and radiant.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Leaves skin cleansed and soft and protects against free radicals.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The cleansing of the body is not so they can become something other than what theyalready are.
Christianity Today (2000)
It's too early to tell you whether this cleansing programme will make me look better.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The first 20 minutes is devoted to deep cleansing of the face and neck.
Sedgbeer, Sandra The A-Z of Beauty Treatment (1994)
While the body is cleansed, the mind is free to expand.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Before bed I have camomile tea and use rose oil to cleanse my face.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The only downside is that it doesn't cleanse or remove make-up.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Ideally, cleanse your face with an all-in-one wipe.
The Sun (2009)
In other languages
cleanse
British English: cleanse VERB
To cleanse a place, person, or organization of something dirty, unpleasant, or evil means to make them free from it.
...a crusade to cleanse society of an unspeakable evil.
American English: cleanse
Brazilian Portuguese: limpar
Chinese: 使清洁
European Spanish: limpiar
French: nettoyer
German: säubern
Italian: ripulire
Japanese: 清潔にする
Korean: 깨끗이 하다
European Portuguese: limpar
Latin American Spanish: limpiar
Chinese translation of 'cleanse'
cleanse
(klɛnz)
vt
[face, cut]清洗 (qīngxǐ)
[mind, organization]净(淨)化 (jìnghuà)
to cleanse sth of sth使某物不再受某物的污染 (shǐ mǒuwù bùzài shòu mǒuwù de wūrǎn)
1 (verb)
Your body is beginning to cleanse itself of toxins.
Synonyms
purify
Plants can filter and purify the air in your office.
clear
Firefighters were still clearing rubble from the scene.
purge
He lay still, trying to purge his mind of anxiety.
2 (verb)
Definition
to remove evil or guilt from
Confession cleanses the soul.
Synonyms
absolve
The judicial inquiry absolved the soldiers.
clear
In a final effort to clear her name, she is writing a book.
purge
purify
They believe that bathing in the Ganges at certain holy places purifies the soul.
3 (verb)
Definition
to remove dirt from
She demonstrated the proper way to cleanse the face.
Synonyms
clean
Her father cleaned his glasses with a paper napkin.
It took half an hour to clean the orange powder off the bath.
wash
He got a job washing dishes in a pizza parlour.
scrub
The corridors are scrubbed clean.
rinse
After washing always rinse the hair in clear water.
scour
He decided to scour the sink.
lustrate
Additional synonyms
in the sense of clear
Definition
to free from impurity or blemish
Firefighters were still clearing rubble from the scene.
Synonyms
remove,
clean,
wipe,
cleanse,
tidy (up),
sweep away
in the sense of clear
Definition
to prove (someone) innocent of a crime or mistake
In a final effort to clear her name, she is writing a book.
Synonyms
absolve,
acquit,
vindicate,
exonerate
in the sense of purge
Definition
to be purified
He lay still, trying to purge his mind of anxiety.