# purify

/ˈpjʊɹəˌfaɪ/ (US) · /pjˈʊɹɪfˌaɪ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/purify
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to remove impurities

verb · CEFR B2

to make something clean by removing dirt, chemicals, or other harmful things.

For teachers: to remove contaminants or foreign elements from a substance to achieve a refined state.

- The new filter helps to purify the water from the local river.
- The laboratory uses a sophisticated distillation process to purify the chemical samples before they are used in the experiment.

Usage: Often used with 'from' to indicate the substance being removed.

### 2. moral or spiritual cleansing

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

to free someone or something from guilt, sin, or bad thoughts.

For teachers: to free from ceremonial or moral defilement; to purge of sin or guilt.

- In many cultures, people use smoke or water to purify their homes.
- The ancient ritual was designed to purify the soul of the penitent before they entered the inner sanctum of the temple.

Teaching tip: This sense is often found in religious or historical contexts; in everyday modern English, 'cleanse' is a more common alternative for emotional contexts.

## Examples

- We use a special filter to purify our drinking water.
- The factory installed new systems to purify the air before releasing it into the atmosphere.
- In many ancient cultures, specific rituals were performed to purify the temple after a period of conflict, ensuring the space was spiritually ready for worship once again.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.