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Synonyms

purifier

British  
/ ˈpjʊərɪˌfaɪə /

noun

  1. a device or substance that frees something of extraneous, contaminating, or debasing matter

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Explanation

A purifier is something that filters dangerous contaminants out of water or air. If you bring a good water purifier along on your camping trip, you can safely drink from rivers and streams. Air purifiers are useful for removing dust and other allergens from the air, as well as smoke particles and even viruses and other microscopic germs. People with gas stoves or wood-burning fireplaces in their homes often use air purifiers to ensure that the air they breathe is safe and clean. Purifier comes from the verb purify, or "cleanse," and the Latin root purus, "pure."

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

So, for now, I’ll focus on the environmental factors I can control and be sure to plug back in my pandemic-era air purifier.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 17, 2026

Make sure the purifier has carbon filters that remove volatile organic chemicals.

From The Wall Street Journal Oct. 31, 2025

El-Hasan recommends people pay attention to two additional factors when purchasing their purifier: the square footage they cover and the cost of replacement filters.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 14, 2025

Although the makeshift air purifier helped, the next day, McCarthy packed up his car and decided to leave for Palm Springs for the weekend.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 10, 2025

The water in the river was fast-moving, and left almost nothing in the muck-trap of the purifier, which meant it was clean.

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

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