What is the antonym of “infest”?
The antonyms of infest are cleanse and purify. The antonyms cleanse and purify convey the idea of removing unwanted elements or impurities from a place or object.
Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
cleanse
To rid something of dirt, impurities, or harmful substances.
Example
She used a special shampoo to cleanse her hair of all the product buildup.
purify
To remove contaminants or impurities from something, making it pure or clean.
Example
The water was boiled to purify it before drinking.
How are these antonyms different from each other?
- 1Cleanse is often used for cleaning the body or skin, while purify is used for cleaning water or air.
- 2Cleanse can also mean to purify spiritually or emotionally, while purify is more commonly used in a physical sense.
Good things to know
- 1Health and Beauty: Use cleanse to describe washing or cleaning the body or skin.
- 2Environmental Science: Use purify to describe cleaning water or air.
- 3Spirituality and Religion: Use cleanse or purify to describe spiritual or emotional purification.
Remember this!
The antonyms cleanse and purify convey the idea of removing unwanted elements or impurities from a place or object. While cleanse is often used for cleaning the body or skin, purify is used for cleaning water or air. Use these words in contexts related to health and beauty, environmental science, and spirituality and religion.
