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Synonym Chooser

How is the word pure distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of pure are chaste, decent, and modest. While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions.

the pure of heart

In what contexts can chaste take the place of pure?

Although the words chaste and pure have much in common, chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows.

they maintained chaste relations

How are the words modest and decent related as synonyms of pure?

Both modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity.

preferred more modest swimsuits
decent people didn't go to such movies

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pure When, in the end, Bill removes an abused girl from the convent and walks her through town for all to see, back to his home, it isn’t played as some triumphant moment, but as an act of pure humanity. Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024 And there definitely was a party element to the occasion, with guests moving to the sounds of the DJ, performing line dances with pure joy. Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024 But scientists didn’t figure out how to isolate, extract, and ingest pure DMT on its own until 1956, which branched the drug off from ayahuasca into its own history. Oshan Jarow, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024 Both scenes imply that the Middle East is a place where violence is to be expected but Europe should be peaceful and pure. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for pure 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pure
Adjective
  • That's a sandwich of plain white bread with beef sausage and ketchup.
    Claire Reilly, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
  • To make yogurt bark, mix 2 cups of plain whole or 2% Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of a sweetener, like maple syrup or honey, until smooth.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The Crown stands out for its immaculate attention to detail and grandeur — something that aligns with our storytelling ethos at Bhansali Productions.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024
  • In immaculate condition, a Type 57 Ventoux will approach a million dollars at auction.
    Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2024
Adjective
  • Investigators believe the two men who were injured were innocent bystanders, police said.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 3 Nov. 2024
  • The message was clear: Even if your group is defined by targeting innocent people, the Biden-Harris White House will bestow the same legitimacy upon you as any nation-state by granting you a seat at the negotiating table.
    Pat Fallon, National Review, 3 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The sheer scale of phones used in the study let the researchers correct individual bias by comparing the devices against each other.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
  • The sheer number of cyclists snarled traffic and prompted restrictions by the city's tourism-hungry officials, who had encouraged them to come.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • With the earlier Mummy, Fisher and Sangster distilled what works best about the monster movie genre into a compact 90 minutes of unadulterated fun.
    Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2024
  • Sensibly Surreal The Bravia 9 is an unadulterated brightness powerhouse.
    Ryan Waniata, WIRED, 22 Sep. 2024
Adjective
  • Much of this chaste romance takes place in public spaces such as cafes, art galleries and bowling alleys that are strangely empty apart from the lovebirds.
    Richard Kuipers, Variety, 29 Oct. 2024
  • Disney's superhero franchise typically stays very chaste, but witches live to break the rules.
    Christian Holub, EW.com, 28 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • More white people claim the credit than Black people certainly.
    Tax Notes Staff, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
  • The only racial group that saw a decrease in suicide rates across age cohorts was non-Hispanic white people.
    Ellen Barry, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • In removing some of the stress around pet health, the hope is that pet parents will be more present to enjoy the unconditional love, companionship and sweet moments shared with pets.
    Jessica Ourisman, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
  • The devastating story of a dog that was abandoned before Hurricane Milton in Florida has moved social media users—but now she's found a foster home and will see what real, unconditional love truly is.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near pure

Cite this Entry

“Pure.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pure. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on pure

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