cleanse
C1Formal, medical/beauty, religious, literary
Definition
Meaning
To make something thoroughly clean; to remove dirt, impurities, or unwanted elements from something.
To purify, free from sin, guilt, or negative influences; in medical/beauty contexts, to clear (e.g., skin, colon) of toxins; metaphorically, to remove undesirable elements from an organization or system.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a deeper, more thorough, or more purifying process than 'clean'. Often used metaphorically for moral or spiritual purification. Can have connotations of renewal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core meaning or usage. Slight preference in US for 'cleanse' in wellness/detox contexts. UK retains slightly stronger religious/moral usage.
Connotations
In both: ritual, thoroughness, purity. In US, heavily associated with commercial detox/cleanse products.
Frequency
More frequent in both varieties than simple 'clean'? No. Less frequent than 'clean' but stable in specific registers. Similar frequency overall.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[VN] cleanse something[VN] cleanse something of something[VN] cleanse something from something[V] (intransitive, as in 'I'm cleansing')Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “cleanse one's palate (literal & figurative)”
- “cleanse the Augean stables”
- “cleanse one's bosom of perilous stuff (Shakespeare)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possible in 'cleanse the database of duplicates' or 'cleanse the company of corruption'.
Academic
Used in historical/religious studies ('ritually cleanse'), medical texts ('cleanse the wound'), environmental science.
Everyday
Most common in skincare/beauty ('facial cleanse'), diet/detox ('juice cleanse'), general cleaning ('cleanse the counter').
Technical
Medical/surgical (wound cleansing), data processing (data cleansing), chemistry (cleansing agents).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The surgeon must cleanse the wound meticulously.
- Many people undertake a detox to cleanse their system.
- He sought to cleanse his soul of guilt.
- Use this toner to cleanse your face.
American English
- The regimen is designed to cleanse the colon.
- She went on a three-day juice cleanse.
- The mayor vowed to cleanse the department of corruption.
- Cleanse the area with an antiseptic wipe.
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverb form.)
American English
- N/A (No standard adverb form.)
adjective
British English
- N/A (No standard adjective form. 'Cleansing' is the present participle/gerund.)
American English
- N/A (No standard adjective form. 'Cleansing' is the present participle/gerund.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Wash your hands to cleanse them of germs.
- This cream helps cleanse your skin.
- The priest performed a ritual to cleanse the temple.
- You should cleanse the cut with warm water.
- The new government promised to cleanse the administration of cronyism.
- After the rich meal, the sorbet cleansed our palates.
- The documentary examines the tragic history of ethnic cleansing in the region.
- Meditation can be a way to cleanse the mind of incessant chatter.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CLEAN' with an extra 'SE' for 'Special Effort' or 'Soul Edition'—it's a deeper clean.
Conceptual Metaphor
PURITY IS CLEANLINESS (moral/spiritual purity is physical cleanliness).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'кли́зма' (enema). 'Cleanse' is broader.
- Not a direct synonym for 'очища́ть' in all contexts; 'clean' is often sufficient for physical cleaning.
- Beware of false friend 'клин' (wedge).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'cleanse' for everyday cleaning ('I cleansed the car' sounds odd).
- Misspelling as 'cleance'.
- Pronouncing the silent 'a' (/'kli:nseɪ/).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'cleanse' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Clean' is the general, everyday word for removing dirt. 'Cleanse' implies a more thorough, purifying, often ritualistic or systemic process, and is used in specific contexts like skincare, detox, religion, or moral purification.
Yes, especially in modern wellness/diet contexts (e.g., 'a three-day juice cleanse', 'a skin cleanse'). It is less formal as a noun than as a verb.
Yes, but it's a horrific euphemism. It uses the metaphor of 'removing impurities' to describe the forced removal or extermination of an ethnic group from an area. It's a fixed, highly charged political term.
It is pronounced /klɛnz/, exactly like 'cleans'. The 'a' is silent. Do not say /kli:nz/ or /kli:nseɪ/.