What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
desalinate
Example
The government invested in a desalination plant to provide clean drinking water to the community. [desalination: noun]
Example
The company uses reverse osmosis to desalinate seawater and make it suitable for industrial use. [desalinate: verb]
purify
Example
The water treatment plant uses chemicals to purify the water before distributing it to households. [purify: verb]
Example
The air purifier removes dust and allergens from the air, making it cleaner and healthier to breathe. [purifier: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Purify is more commonly used than desalinate in everyday language. Purify is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while desalinate is less common and refers specifically to removing salt from seawater.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between desalinate and purify?
Both desalinate and purify can be used in formal and technical contexts, but desalinate may be more specialized and less commonly used in everyday conversation.
