We arrived at that plan out of pure desperation, but the book sold well.
Source: tatoeba (18380)
Pure
/ˈpjʊə(ɹ)/
Synonyms for "pure" (468 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (94)
Adjective(12 words)
unadulteratedvirtuousabstractarrantblancacleanclean waterclear errorclear processescompleteconsummatedouble-dyed
above suspicionabsoluteabstractacademicalaestheticall embracingall outall pervadingall-embracingall-encompassingall-outall-pervadingangelicantisepticartisticasceticatticaustereauthenticbald
Show 57 more words
barebasicbeyond all praiseblamelessblankblastedbleachedblessedblotlessbona fidebornbrightbroad-basedcandidcard carryingcard-carryingcelibatechastechoicechristianchristlikechristlyciceronianclassicclassicalcleancleanlyclearcommoncommonplacecompletecomprehensiveconceptualconfoundedcongenitalconjecturalconsummatecontinentcorrectcreditabledaintydecentdecorousdeep dyeddeep-dyeddefectlessdevoutdinkumdirectdirt freedirt-freedisinfecteddownrightdrydulldyed-in-the-wooleasy
Noun(1 words)
absolute authority
Adjective(4 words)
Strong matches (140)
egregiouselegantelementaryerectessentialestimableethicaleverydayexcellentexemplaryexhaustivefairfastidiousfaultlessfinishedflawlessfollowing the letterfrankfreshfull of integrity
Show 103 more words
fundamentalgardengarden varietygarden-varietygenuinegod fearinggod-fearinggodlikegodlygodly-mindedgoodgracefulgracilegrossguilelessguiltlessheavenlyhigh principledhigh-mindedhigh-principledhighly respectableholyholy-mindedhomelyhomespunhomogeneoushonesthonest-to-godhonorablehouseholdhygienichypotheticalidealimmaculateimpeccablein good tasteinartificialincorruptinculpableindefectibleindefectiveindivisibleinfallibleinfernalinnocentintactintensiveinviolableinviolateirreducibleirreproachablejustjust rightkosherlaw abidinglaw-abidinglaw-lovinglaw-reveringlawfulleanlegitimatelifelikelimpidliterallucidmaidenlymainmanlymatter-of-factmellowmeremodestmonolithicmoralnakednaturalnaturalisticneatnoblenondescriptnonpollutednotionalof a pieceof choiceof cleanly habitsof qualityomnibusomnipresentopenordinaryoriginalotherworldlyout-and-outoutrightpasteurizedpeerlesspellucidperfectperspicuouspervasivephilosophicalpiousplain
Adjective(8 words)
Related words (234)
plain spokenplain-speakingplain-spokenpleasingplenaryplumbpolishedprimalprimaryprincipledproperprosaicprosingprosypure and simplepure in heartpureheartedquietquintessentialradical
Show 173 more words
realrealisticrefinedregularreputablerespectablerestrainedrightright mindedright-mindedrighteousrightfulritually pureroundrusticsaintlikesaintlysanitaryseraphicseveresexually innocentsheershinysimon puresimon-puresimplesimple-speakingsinceresinglesinlesssmut-freesmutlesssnowysobersolidsparespartanspeculativespiritualspiritual-mindedspotlessstainlessstarksterilesterilizedsterlingstraightstraightforwardsubduedsure enoughsure-enoughsweepingsweettahartaintlesstastefultersetheoreticalthoroughthoroughgoingthrough and throughthrough-and-throughtotaltrimtruetrue to lifetrue to naturetrue to realitytrue-dealingtrue-devotedtrue-disposingtrue-souledtrue-spiritedtrueheartedtubbedubiquitousunadornedunadulteratedunaffectedunalloyedunassumedunassumingunbesmirchedunblamableunblemishedunblotteduncluttereduncoloredunconcoctedunconditionaluncontaminateduncopieduncorruptuncorrupteduncounterfeitedundefiledunderstatedundifferencedundifferentiatedundilutedundisguisedundisguisingundistortedunearthlyunexaggeratedunfabricatedunfancifulunfaultableunfeignedunfeigningunfictitiousunflatteringunflaweduniformunimaginativeunimaginedunimitatedunimpeachableuninventeduniversalunlaboredunmitigatedunmixedunmuddiedunobtrusiveunpoeticalunpollutedunpretendedunpretendingunqualifiedunreservedunrestrictedunromanticunsimulatedunsmirchedunsmudgedunsoiledunspeciousunspottedunstainedunsulliedunsyntheticuntainteduntarnishedunvarnishedunworldlyuprightuprighteousupstandingutterverbalverbatimveridicalverisimilarveritableveryvestalvirginvirginalvirtuouswell-chosenwell-scrubbedwell-washedwhitewhitenedwholesalewholesomeword for wordword-for-wordworkadayworkdayworthyyeomanly
Adjective(11 words)
Adjective(30 words)
pristine ecosystemspristine surfacepurestpurussaturatedsheer amountsheerestsoddingstaringstarktheoreticaltheoretical ideathoroughthoroughgoingunblemishedunblendeduncontaminatedundiluted liquidunmarredunmixed
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: unadulterated, virtuous, above suspicion, absolute, absolute authority.
- Sentence evidence is available for pure, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "pure".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "pure"
Keep "pure" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "pure" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "pure", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "pure" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
6 entriesMore specific
8 entrieschemical purityethical purityfood puritymoral puritypure logicpure mathematicspure theorywater purity
Collocations
5 entriespure mathematicspure motivepure substancepure waterpurity level
Inflections
2 entriesDerivations
8 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
30 entriesShowing 16 of 30 words.
Sample sentences
28 total sentences available.
These days, the motives for marriage are not necessarily pure.
Source: tatoeba (18708)
These days, the motive for marriage is not necessarily pure.
Source: tatoeba (18726)
These days, the motive for marriage is not necessarily pure. Take Jennifer for example.
Source: tatoeba (18727)
Showing 4 of 28 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "pure"?
Closest matches include unadulterated, virtuous, above suspicion, absolute, absolute authority.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "pure"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.