Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun cleansing

1 sense of cleansing

Sense 1
cleaning, cleansing, cleanup -- (the act of making something clean; "he gave his shoes a good cleaning")
       => improvement -- (the act of improving something; "their improvements increased the value of the property")

Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of verb cleanse

2 senses of cleanse

Sense 1
cleanse, clean -- (clean one's body or parts thereof, as by washing; "clean up before you see your grandparents"; "clean your fingernails before dinner")
       => groom, neaten -- (care for one's external appearance; "He is always well-groomed")

Sense 2
cleanse -- (purge of an ideology, bad thoughts, or sins; "Purgatory is supposed to cleanse you from your sins")
       => rid, free, disembarrass -- (relieve from; "Rid the house of pests")

Antonyms of adj cleansing

2 senses of cleansing

Sense 1
ablutionary, cleansing -- (cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands; "ablutionary rituals")

INDIRECT (VIA purifying) -> adulterating, adulterant -- (making impure or corrupt by adding extraneous materials; "the adulterating effect of extraneous materials")

Sense 2
cleansing, purifying -- (acting like an antiseptic)

INDIRECT (VIA antiseptic) -> septic, infected -- (containing or resulting from disease-causing organisms; "a septic sore throat"; "a septic environment"; "septic sewage")

Similarity of adj cleansing

2 senses of cleansing

Sense 1
ablutionary, cleansing -- (cleansing the body by washing; especially ritual washing of e.g. hands; "ablutionary rituals")
       => purifying (vs. adulterating) -- (freeing from noxious matter; "filtration is a purifying agent")

Sense 2
cleansing, purifying -- (acting like an antiseptic)
       => antiseptic (vs. septic) -- (thoroughly clean and free of or destructive to disease-causing organisms; "doctors in antiseptic green coats"; "the antiseptic effect of alcohol"; "it is said that marjoram has antiseptic qualities")