purify
gb/pjˈʊɹəfˌaɪ/ us/pjˈʊɹəfˌaɪ/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
remove impurities from a substance
To make something clean by removing bad or dirty things from it.
Usage pattern:
purify [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse purify with disinfect: disinfect means kill germs, while purify means remove impurities (sometimes including germs).
Synonyms
clean (More general and less scientific; does not always imply removing specific impurities.)
|
filter (Emphasizes passing through a device/material to remove particles.)
|
refine (Often used for substances like oil or sugar; suggests processing to improve purity/quality.)
Antonyms
contaminate (To make something impure by adding harmful or unwanted substances.)
|
pollute (Commonly used for air, water, or the environment.)
Collocations
purify water
|purify drinking water
|purify the air
|purify air indoors
|purify a solution
|purify a chemical
|purify a compound
|purify a gas
|purify a sample
|purify wastewater
Themes
health
|science
|environment
|daily_life
Examples
- They installed a new system to purify the tap water.
- This device purifies indoor air by trapping dust and smoke particles.
- The lab purified the compound before running the final test.
Learner examples
- We purify water before we drink it.
- This filter purifies the air in my room.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
make morally or spiritually clean
To make someone morally or spiritually clean again.
Usage pattern:
purify [someone/something] (of/from [something])
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse purify in everyday situations where clean or wash is natural; this sense is usually religious or formal.
Synonyms
cleanse (Common in religious and moral contexts; slightly broader and more frequent.)
|
absolve (Specifically means to officially forgive sin or blame, often by an authority.)
Antonyms
corrupt (To make morally worse or dishonest.)
|
taint (To spoil moral purity or reputation.)
Collocations
purify the soul
|purify the heart
|purify the mind
|purify yourself
|purify the spirit
|purify the body
|purify someone of sin
|purify one’s thoughts
Themes
religion
|ethics
|emotions
Examples
- In the story, the hero seeks to purify his soul after years of violence.
- Some rituals are meant to purify worshippers before prayer.
- She tried to purify her mind by letting go of resentment.
Learner examples
- He wants to purify his heart.
- They believe water can purify the soul.
Verb
B2
action
3
remove unwanted elements from something
To make something better by removing bad or unnecessary parts.
Usage pattern:
purify [something]
Common mistake:
This figurative use can sound strong or ideological in topics like culture or politics; learners may prefer clean up or simplify in casual contexts.
Synonyms
clean up (More informal; common for data, messes, or problems.)
|
sanitize (Often means remove offensive details or make something seem less bad; can imply hiding the truth.)
|
simplify (Focuses on making something easier, not necessarily removing contamination.)
Antonyms
pollute (To introduce unwanted elements (e.g., 'pollute the discussion with rumors').)
|
distort (To change something so it is less accurate or true.)
Collocations
purify the data
|purify the language
|purify the system
|purify the process
|purify the supply chain
|purify the message
|purify a tradition
|purify the code
Themes
technology
|communication
|society
Examples
- Before training the model, the team purified the dataset by removing duplicates and errors.
- The editor tried to purify the article of biased language.
- Over time, the rules were purified into a shorter, clearer set of principles.
Learner examples
- We purified the data and deleted the mistakes.
- The teacher purified the text of bad words.
Grammar
Dictionary form
purify
IPA
GB/pjˈʊɹəfˌaɪ/
US/pjˈʊɹəfˌaɪ/
Syllables & stress
puri - fy (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (puri)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: purify
- 3rd Person Singular: purifies
- Present Participle: purifying
- Past: purified
Word family
Expressions
purify by fire
1/pjˈʊɹəfˌaɪ bˈaɪ fˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
literary
cleanse through hardship or destruction
To become better or cleaner after a very difficult experience.
Examples
- In the novel, the city is purified by fire and rebuilt from the ashes.
- He believed the movement had to be purified by fire before it could succeed.
- The speech framed the crisis as a moment to be purified by fire.